Market hopes alive

By Tania Martin
GEMBROOK residents are this week holding out hope their market, which was shut down last month, could be revived.
Locals were shocked and horrified last month following the closure.
But Gembrook MP Tammy Lobato is hoping to breathe life back into the market and get it up and running again.
She will host a public meeting this Thursday 25 June at Puffing Billy Station, calling for support for the revival.
The former market committee announced last month it was folding following insurance problems.
This came after a council review last year, which ended section 86 committees.
These committees were operated under the auspice of the Cardinia Shire and the umbrella of their insurance policies.
However, the council dumped the section 86 committees earlier this year after it was advised by its insurers that volunteer groups and organisations would no longer be adequately protected under the current policy.
The council said it was decided the best option was to help each group become separate incorporated bodies.
But in a letter to the Mail, the Gembrook Market committee last month said it was unwilling to do this.
It claimed becoming incorporated would result in additional legal, administrative and financial responsibilities and liabilities.
The committee said it would also make the market financially unviable and the only option was closure.
Ms Lobato said many residents had contacted her over the closure.
She has even had proposals from people wanting to contribute to getting the market going again. “I have had offers to pay the public liability insurance,” she said.
Gembrook’s Shirley Smith said the town was still reeling from the closure.
“It’s great to see someone doing something to get it going again,” she said.
Ms Smith said it had been concerning that the market had been closed without any consultation with the community. She said Gembrook didn’t have much to attract people to the town and the market had been a major drawcard.
Ms Smith said it was vital for the future of the town and local tourist trade to get the market up and running again.
Ms Lobato is also calling on all stallholders to attend the meeting.
She said the previous market committee would not release the stallholders’ information, claiming it was a privacy issue.
“I am relying on word of mouth to ensure they are informed about both the meeting and the community’s plan to re-establish the market,” Ms Lobato said.
Ms Lobato said the market had been one of the most biggest and successful events in the region.
She said it attracted not only locals, but many tourists.
The meeting will be held at 4pm on Thursday at the Puffing Billy station in Gembrook.