Open letter to 3AW’s Neil Mitchell

Subject:  Docklands bashing
Date:  August 18, 2009
From:  Docklands stalwart Peter Kelly

Hello Neil

I am sick of you constantly bashing Docklands and everything about it and I would suggest you just stop and appreciate what has occurred here in less than 10 short years and comprehend the following that I have seen transpire in that period.

Yesterday’s outburst for me was the final straw as I have heard you bash the area for years and I had to get this of my chest once and for all

My name is Peter Kelly, a Docklands resident and business owner since December 2001 and I have seen the area grow from nothing to what it is now, although only half way through.

I have seen 9000 residents move in, 25,000 workers (when the ANZ move in from October) come daily and over 2 million visitors a year come to the various precincts.

I have seen the first affordable housing building nearing completion that has floors dedicated to Docklands workers at reduced rentals.

At the other end of the scale, waterfront town houses on both the Yarra and Victoria Harbour are under construction and have all been sold for between $1.5m and
$5 million.

I have seen corporate businesses like Channel 7, VicUrban, NAB, Bendigo Bank, Fujitsu, Lend Lease, Ericsson, Medibank, Bureau of Meteorology, Customs, National Foods, AXA and MLC, all move their head offices here and the ANZ, BP, Myer, Media House (inc 3AW) Enterprise Business Services (Singapore Power Co) Quay Health (Sports & Medicine Centre) are all due to move in over the next six to 12 months.

I have seen the Kangan Batman TAFE College and the Carrick Institute both relocate campuses to Docklands and there also two child-minding centres now operating.

The Fox motor car museum continues to be a favourite for corporate events and car enthusiasts.

Under construction is the National Ice Sports Centre consisting of two huge ice skating rinks – an Australian first – and these two buildings are adjacent to Studio City a world-class film making facility that has been operating for about six years.

Tourist accommodation includes a nearly completed Travelodge Hotel, a Quest apartments complex, a Grand Mercure Docklands and the Sofitel Grand – in total offering over 500 serviced apartments and on the fringe we have a second Hilton Hotel offering in total over 500 hotel rooms.

900 trams come daily to Docklands including the free City Circle together with the free shuttle buses between Southern Cross Railway Station and Harbour Town. Added to this is the north-south free city bus which goes through the precincts on its free sightseeing route of top Melbourne tourist stops.

Over 100 restaurants, cafes and bars. 140 retail shops inc Harbour Town (still not fully open). Plus the DFO at Southern Cross Station all form part of the Docklands precinct and all have strong visitations especially at weekends. A Safeway and four IGA supermarkets are in the precincts to serve the locals. The YMCA gym has a huge membership in the Victoria Point building.

Of course the Etihad stadium is the biggest drawcard to Docklands and I believe Costco (the eighth biggest retailer in the world) is likely to join it as a favourite with their first outlet open yesterday.

Central Pier now rivals any other Melbourne location as the premier function and event centre offering over a dozen different venues since moving from South Wharf a couple of years ago

Certainly ING/Waterfront City has been the biggest disappointment to the area as they just haven’t done it right but I think, when the whole plan is completed, it could be the diamond in the ring.

The Southern Star, which is the third biggest observation wheel in the world, will hopefully become the icon the developers believe it will.

Docklands has for its residents and workers the following clubs: Chamber of commerce, traders association, Rotary, Toastmasters, community association, reading, coffee, craft, yoga, walking and petanque groups to name a few that come to mind.

So Neil, I would like you to take in what I have stated and give the area a go and I’m certain that, among docklands developments throughout the world, Melbourne’s will be one of the best.