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Business owner urges outreach after plans for Melbourne band shell raised road‑closure concerns
Summary
A local business owner told the parks committee he and neighbouring merchants had not been contacted about a proposed band shell and potential road closures in Melbourne and asked the committee whether staff had consulted affected businesses.
At the start of public input, business owner Damien Gilliams returned to the committee to ask whether staff had contacted businesses affected by a proposed band shell project in Melbourne and whether the city had consulted merchants about possible road closures. "Nobody attempted to see how they feel," Gilliams said. "I'm going to get 20,000 vehicles going past my property every day. But I'm trying to speak on behalf of some of the other businesses down there and nobody's communicating with us."
Committee members and staff urged Gilliams to contact the Melbourne city staff directly for specifics about that city's plans; one committee member noted that the proposed closure would not be a complete closure of Hope Street and that access would be maintained from the east via a modified parking layout. Staff suggested the Melbourne project is in planning and that the City of Melbourne or West Melbourne would be the appropriate contacts for permitting and road-closure decisions.
Gilliams said he had checked Melbourne meeting minutes and local news for information. The advisory committee's role in this matter is advisory to the city where the meeting occurred; staff and members told Gilliams they had not initiated business outreach in Melbourne and recommended he follow up with city staff in Melbourne for details.
