Joining me live in the studio is the Lord Mayor of Darwin, combat Scarles.
Good morning, Kate. If from a beautiful Darwin. You know Darwin is the place to visit when I start getting visits from ambassadors from down south. I never met before the Butsador of Mexico thirty years in Political Live. That was the first time I met him. He came from Canberra to Darwin and he loves it. He says here, rather be here than in Canberra, and I can understand that.
Who wouldn't at this point in time. The weather's glorious now conn there's lots to cover off this morning, and I've been contacted by some retailers concerned about some work which is set to happen as I understand it, on Kavanagh Straight. Concerns raised with those works, apparently concrete being ripped up and some other other tiles or something else being laid. What exactly is the plan here?
From caucas it took plans for Kavanagh Street. One is the media striet in front of the University of Campbus where you want to actually put the trees there. The other one we'll be talking for a long time. It's because the aggregate concretely used, it's so difficult to actually keep it clean. The moment something spills on it, it doesn't matter what you use, it will not get rid of it. That's why you hear a lot of people telling you, oh, it looks really grotty. Yes, it does look grotty because it absorbs the dirty oil. So we came up with the plan to actually replace that aggregate with good quality pavers, and we will eventually do it. However, it's still still to early. We just talked to people. At the moment, we can't count anything in plant. I believe the pavers are still on the way here from Indonesia. We'll be talking to them to find out the right time to do it and how we're going to do it. They lastly will.
It's going to say, but it is happening.
Well, it will happen because it will make the city more more beautiful, like what you see down down in the southern capitals, rather actually just aggregate that.
Looks well look which sounds good in theory. I guess the concern here is, like I've been contacted by one retailer in particular, who I'll speak to after ten this morning, quite worried about the impact that it could have on, you know, on their shop during the rice season when you know you're hoping you've got a lot of papers.
The papers is not even here yet, so doubt very much will happen in the in the dry season, and certainly we'll be talking to the retailers about the best time to start. We're doing it for them to make the city pretty and beautiful and and and people to come here and admire it rather than actually still grotty thing.
But again, so it's to be awarded and that kind of stuff. It has a tender being awarded and that kind of stuff.
Now we're still working through that one. We actually we're looking at the papers we want to do the papers. We've got the idea in place. We talked to the retailers and we'll actually proceed later to do it. But again but I have been ordered the pavos. The papers well have to ahead of schedule, otherwise we don't want to actually have different kinds of papers. You have to order the significant it will be a trial, will happen only in a certain area in the city. But before we are going to actually talk to the retailers.
For this project is to be.
This project is going to be. Our project is not like the Smith stat The previous government came out announced it through the manner of the table, so as you have to deliver it by then and our hands are tied. This one is managed by us completely, I can't. So we'll be talking to the retailers, all right.
Well, I think it's going to be a good idea because you want to make sure that they're not impacted in such a way that you know, like I know on Smith Street it's been really tough for a lot of business.
But again you've got everybody wants in Green City. But again when we start doing it, everybody's oh, you create these problem.
I totally understand. But if you've invested millions of dollars into a business in the CBD and then you trying to make sure that your business is operating, and that's the vision.
We actually brought forward the area in Smith Street, so the area in front of the shops will be finished by the.
Twenty twentieth of journey for Smith Straight. All right, well, I know it cannot come soon enough for some of those retailers and conn We will talk some more after ten o'clock this morning about the works on Kavanagh Street with one of those retailers, and tell.
The retailer that certainly we'll be talking to him and we're trying to do it in time. That's not going to cause problems for the retailer.
Now, let's have a look about or have a talk about what you guys are doing with the libraries. So the City of Darwin is inviting library users and members of the community to provide feedback on those libraries, including services provided, library facilities and the operating hours, a survey under what's the time of the serve exactly.
Well, we've got four libraries in Cadorina, Dawen City, Karama, Nightcliff, and believe it or not, we get about four hundred thousand visits every year in these libraries and we have a collection of eighty thousand items, and we've got thirty seven thousand people that actually participate in activities from little two year olds to ninety two year olds. And certainly we want to find out is these service will provide the best one? Can we do it better? Do people want something different? How can we accommodate to the hours of operation? Are shooting them some people that want to come elis and people won't come late. So you've got an opportunity until the twenty second of June, yes of June, to have as you say, would love your input. And please don't say, oh well somebody else will comment. Please comment yourself. It doesn't take long because if other people comment then you don't get what you want. Then you can't complain because you didn't do your bit. So I encourage it. I think it's important to actually do it.
Have your sigh now, Colin, I understand the councils also doing a trial of pool hating at the casualt or a Quodic center. How did this come about?
Well, we had complaints from people that they're using the pool and says, look, it's too cold now, and certainly we had a couple of days that was really really cold. It's fifty yes, and we decided, well, we'll give it a go. So we set up the therm and start on twenty eight degrees and we're putting the hitter on. See how it goes, see what the response will be, and depending on the results of the trial, then we try to if we're going to work.
So if you already got all the infrastructure applies to it.
Always in place. The thing you have to remember it is the cost to run it. That's right, and that's important. Now the other thing is interesting. Perhaps he has to be hitted because he has to comply with the National body regulations. But nightly, if it's not hited at all, it will never get complaints. Yep, But we've got one area, especially when it's used by young children, so we decided to buy.
Particularly. Yeah, like if you're teaching learn to swim or anything like that, or have those young kids doing classes, it gets freezing. As someone who has who spent my whole teenage life teaching learned to swim and coaching swimming, honestly, if you're in the pool for a couple of hours, it can be it can be unbearable by the end.
You know. It's interesting. I think we've been here for too long and we're unaccustomed to the.
And in saying that, though, if you're doing laps, you actually don't want to be too warm if you're in there doing a couple of kilometers, So it's an interesting one. I think the surveys required.
In the pool I'm currently used because of I have to keep my knees moving. They are tourists swimming in it, and they don't but an eyelid and I'm going in. I thought, oh my god, there's difference people.
Where they come from exactly. Hey, conn, I've got to listen a question. There's one here from a family that says, Hi, Katie. I'm writing to express my frustration and disappointment regarding an incident that occurred a fortnight ago Kara oval during junior soccer on a Sunday morning. Families were gathered to support their children, creating a positive, community driven atmosphere. Unfortunately, this was significantly dampened by the council Parking inspectors issuing fines to vehicles parked on the grass area surrounding the oval. While I understand the importance of parking regulations, it's important to note there was a genuine lack of available parking options. The cars were parked sensibly. No one was obstructing driveways, footpaths or parked near yellow lines corn. It's not a nice thing to do.
This is a probinable face in every sports levels. Now like idiot, we've got the lock neighbors complete bitterly about churning.
The Yeah, but they don't live on the oval.
Yes, but you know what happens in Darwin, you're on the oval, you actually live over But probably we've got this. It is against the regulations and the nice road rules to park on vergens.
Surely if neighbors are complaining, then surely them parking on the grass would be a better thing.
There are roads to actually park. The other thing, of course, the pick bodies should actually think how they organize their competition instead of having everybody there at the same time.
You get they train like they're training most days. The ovals literally being utilized by people nearly every day. You've got to schedule games and junior games or need to be scheduled for on like they're already doing them on a Friday, and.
Sunder unfortunately in most ovels, and we have really beside ourselves with the complaints will receive and also with the damage done in a reticulation and in graphs and everything else. Now I know you can't win because in certain areas we've got pig we extended parking like a baggot. We've done it really well. We're doing the same. It's good now do now in my luck. We're extending the because of the new playground, we're extending the car park. Eventually we extend other car packs. But you have to remember when these ovals were built, nobody expected.
To what you do now in a place. Because actually, I think that's to say that the that the government, that the sporting body needs to change what they're doing. I'm sorry, Connor, I think that's bullshit to say that they need to change the way that they should. You guys, because you're talking about kids crying the problem.
Pig bodies organize the games quite right too. Then you've got all the people turning up at the same time, and neighbors called ferrol because they say they can't fire park.
But what would they rather than those games? Kids playing at two o'clock in the afternoon.
The solution, Kate and come to me because I've.
Got a part on the grass.
But I said before, it's it's a different way to organize things, and that's why we engage in now putting lights in all of us to spread out the operational times. Right, the country is doing their bit, not fast enough because we haven't got the money to do it all at once. But again before and are not very very well. Got the parking area. There's you can park. You've got around the school and the school parking area. So if people want to park on the grass, I'm sorry, but it's a rule.
The RUSS is just going to find anyone parked on that grass.
If it's the rules. I cannot instruct the inspector.
Well, can counsel have a bit of a discussion about it, Well, we.
Have a discussion how we actually do better facilities and what are we going to do with the o ls, not only but other ones? Or people want us to dig out the park the parks and put parking lots, Well I don't think everybody will.
Well, no one wants that. I just want to be able to park on the grass. Let's say that's not being used for anything.
I cannot instruct inspect us not do their job because I don't want to find myself in Ica.
All right, fair enough, come on, let's move to something much more positive, just to wrap up for the morning plenty this weekend, is it going to be on the Esplanate as normal.
As always as well in Darwin's the esplanet And it's been there since I remember, since I came to Darwin in nineteen ninety three. It's one of the events people said to me wildly and is so popular because we're a hundred different nationalities and we actually like living together and we like each other. And you go to plenty year in Brisbane, yes, they attract about thirty thousand people. You go to and deep o this down in Melbourne, yes they attract quite a few people. But no other city in Australia attracts half the population in the two days coming through Glendy and celebrating. You go there and you see from Chinese to Digitus, from my late to idiots, and of course all the Creeks and Darwin will be there and I'll be among them.
Everybody will be there, all of Darwe will be their con.
All of a sudden become Greek exactly.
Well, look we are going to be catching up with the Glenie organizers this morning as well after eleven o'clock convat Scarlet is always good to catch up with you. Thank you so much, have.
A good day, and to you before there. Sometimes I can't just find a solution. I'm not King Solomon.
Well, I reckon this is going to have to find one for that soccer, right, I have to.
Find but your people want us to turn them their packs in carp packs. Well, I don't think it will work out well.
Con thank you, Thank you for your time on it. Thank you,