Photo Peter Evans / Caboolture News
LACK of consultation has been listed as a major factor causing upset for groups concerned about the Caboolture Family Fun Day moving to September.
Caboolture Neighbourhood Centre/Caboolture Multicultural Association’s Ces Conte and Nooreen Harris are disappointed with the decision and lack of consultation to hold the family fun day the day before the Multicultural Festival.
“Someone in the community asked me if I had changed the date of our festival and I got worried,” Mr Conte said. “No one from council approached us about the change of date and it’s very disappointing.
“These events are here for the community and people aren’t going to go to all three events in one week, even though they are all free. That’s where the consultation should have come into it.”
Ms Harris said the festival exposed and embraced the many cultures living in the community and was a fundraiser to pay for insurance.
“We feel that if that gets cut down, we’re going to lose those funds,” she said
Mike Mitchell, owner of Queensland Hire in Caboolture, believes the fun day change of date and relocation away from the Caboolture CBD will have a negative impact, particularly for small businesses.
“We’ve already seen the departure of the Urban Country Music Festival and the ute show from Centenary Lakes,” he said. “People who would be selling ice creams or face painting, home-type businesses will definitely be affected.
“To hold this event on a Saturday is unusual and these days a lot of families have parents working on a Saturday which makes Sunday their day off.”
Caboolture Physical Disability Support Network president Matt McCracken has organised the Is Everybody Here expo on September 26.
I’ve spoken to stallholders who aren’t happy and guys who run rides aren’t happy either because Saturday can be a busy day for them with bookings usually in advance,” he said.
Mr McCracken believes there should have been more community consultation.
“I do have my concerns but at the end of the day I guess we don’t have a choice,” he said. “One of the bigger issues holding it at QSEC will be public transport for both those who don’t have their own car, families and also people with a disability.”
Moreton Bay Regional Council Deputy Mayor Greg Chippendale said council fully supported other events and the decision to change the date of the fun day wasn’t taken lightly.
“With the August 15 date in division three most of the kids would have come from schools and only three out of the 13 schools would have still had that day off and this information only came to light recently,” he said. “September 29 is a Saturday and in school holidays so wouldn’t be a problem for schools and there was an opportunity to host the day at QSEC.”
Cr Chippendale said the intent was to ensure the community still had a free family fun day.
“We looked at the Monday show holiday (August 13) as an option but there just wasn’t enough notice to plan it all,” he said. “We’ve also spoken to operators and stallholders and we’ve been able to give them another date so we don’t lose them and they don’t have a missed opportunity, so all those things have been taken into account.”