Melissa Hargraves
Uncertainty remains over the lakeside home of the popular Lennox Head Community Market after Ballina Shire Council (BSC) voted unanimously at its meeting yesterday to defer its decision to relocate the market to the town centre.
BSC resolved at Council’s August 2013 meeting to permanently relocate the market from Lake Ainsworth to the Lennox Head Cultural and Community Centre.
Last month’s decision followed a community consultation process by an independent consultant with market stallholders and the broader community.
But concerns about congestion in the area and the health of Lake Ainsworth convinced Council to vote against the consultant’s recommendation not to relocate the market.
However Cr Sharon Cadwallader told yesterday’s meeting that other concerns have since been raised, such as ‘the reduction in number of stallholders from 130 to 90’.
She added, ‘the actual size of the stalls will also substantially reduce’.
‘We really need a [staff] report on this,’ Cr Cadwallader said, ‘as we thought it was just about relocating the whole market.’
Councillors had also previously voted that the rugby field adjacent to the community centre be roped off on market days, further reducing the space available for the markets.
An operational report will be prepared as part of the deferment.
Finally The Echo is writing something about it. Thanks! But you forgot to mention that a facebook page “Leave Lennox Market at the Lake” that was created only on the 15th of October has attracted more then 1750 likes in just 10 days. Furthermore a petition was presented to Ballina council with nearly 800 signatures to leave the market at the lake and the community consultation report recommended to leave the market where it is as well. But councilors voted in their August meeting to move the market to the community centre in town and rob it of all it’s atmosphere. The Lennox market is at Lake Ainsworth is the market in the Northeren Rivers with the most stunning location. Take that away and it will die a slow death at it’s new location. Please help keep the market at the lake. Go to the facebook site where you can comment and you will find all the email addresses of councilors. Please send them an email asking them to KEEP THE MARKET AT THE LAKE!!!!!!