EXCLUSIVE: The issue of Port Douglas’ neglected parks has raised its head again, this time Cairns Regional Council attracting criticism of its lack of care of the iconic Market Park.

Stratford resident, Maggie Pilkington, who travels to Port Douglas each week to sell her wares at the famous Sunday market, says she has received constant misleading statements from Council over a 16 month period regarding numerous issues, including the lack of watering at the park, which causes a dust bowl effect.

Ms Pilkington said she had been fobbed off by various departments and their managers since June 2010, when she initially asked questions about the lack of irrigation, and was told there were no issues surrounding the park’s facilities.

“Initially, the Inner City Facilities department in Cairns told me the park was regularly watered during the dry season, but it was obvious that it wasn't,” she said.

“I was also told that an irrigation system was being installed in the coming (now last) wet season - it wasn't and now I’m being told there is not enough water pressure (to install irrigation).”

Ms Pilkington said that while a travelling sprinkler was currently being used on certain sections of the park, the majority of the area was suffering from such severe dryness that market-goers were commenting on the dust bowl situation.

“The dust problem is not just dry ground dust - the council had placed a crusher dust on the pathways and aisles - and this is very fine, dries out quickly and makes the dust much worse,” she said.

“I told them this was a problem last year and they then put more of the same down.

“Last Sunday, a visitor to the market commented he could not believe that we actually paid to set up marquees and display our wares in the dirt.”

Ms Pilkington said an on-site meeting between herself and a Council representative in June resulted in the promise of a trial for eight cubic metres of crushed granite to be laid in front of stalls to hold moisture, but the granite was instead used to fill holes and cover exposed tree roots.

“No one at council will explain this to me and no one will reply to my emails,” she said.

“I often get the feeling that the people I'm dealing with in Cairns don't even know which park I'm talking about.

“We also had a big problem with garbage on market days and when I reported this, I was just sent a map of where the bins were. 

“It wasn't until I sent photos of overflowing bins and rubbish throughout the park that we got some more (bins), however there are no recycle bins in the park and we still get paper handouts telling us and our customers to recycle.”

Ms Pilkington said Council’s on-the-spot stallholder survey handed out in June had still not been tabled and believed the results would show the obvious dissatisfaction amongst stallholders.

“I realise the market area is large, but Council is getting a fair amount (of revenue) from stallholder site fees each week,” she said.

“During the past 16 months or so, I have been in contact with about thirteen different people in Council - some I have approached, but many I was passed onto from the previous one.

“I have regularly been fobbed off, given misleading information - promised solutions which have never eventuated or been told of procedures that are supposedly in place, but actually are not.

“Mainly no-one answers my emails.”

Division 10 councillor, Julia Leu, said that while she had been aware of initial plans to irrigate the Market Park, she understood the proposed waterfront plans may have an impact on the area’s future irrigation and would look into the issue further. 

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