PUBLIC

open space is intended for the enjoyment of all residents and visitors to the Gold Coast and that includes our beautiful beaches.

They are not intended to be exploited by commercial entities for their personal profit.

Once again commercial business wants to capitalise private profit on public open space, in this case Burleigh Beach and perhaps The Spit and/or maybe Broadbeach.

A pop-up bar might be OK in a festival event, but to allow permanent alienation of a public beach for private profit is unacceptable.

Why is it that some business people think our public open space is theirs for the taking, aided and abetted by some in the Council, who are supposed to protect our public places?

Gecko and many others will strongly resist this move, as we have before, with attempts to commercialise public open space on The Spit, Wavebreak Island, Bruce Bishop Park, Evandale Parklands, Black Swan Lake, Kirra and perhaps the global tourism hub.

Despite Cr Owen-Jones’ online poll there will be a great many residents who do not want to see a bar on our beaches. We already have surf clubs on the beach selling alcohol, food and pokies and that is quite sufficient.

LOIS LEVY, CAMPAIGN CO-ORDINATOR, GECKO ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL