By Tanya Faulkner
Members of the Ferntree Gully Community are united on a proposal to lighten up the community.
A recent Facebook post shares a proposal for the community to provide their opinion on the idea of lighting up the main street outside of the Village Court.
Ferntree Gully Traders Association president Jeni McLean said local traders are in agreement that the town needs some help in improving the overall vibe and security for its residents.
“We have been concerned about security for some of our traders who are open later in the evening when it’s getting dark, and thought it would be good to light up the street in a more soft, user-friendly way,” she said.
The idea came after seeing trees lit up with fairy lights in Queensland towns, and thought it would be a great idea for locals to feel safer and enjoy what Ferntree Gully has to offer.
Ms McLean said these lights looked awesome, and was something that would improve the overall Ferntree Gully township.
“We’ve had a very positive response from the community, and think it would bring a much more positive, homely sort of atmosphere in town.
“Everyone in the community knows each other, saying hello to each other up and down the street, and we just want to improve the vibe and improve the environment for our local traders,” she said.
After being a member of the Ferntree Gully Traders Association for almost five years, she knows the potential that her home town provides visitors and locals alike.
“Ferntree Gully has a lot to offer, and we want to help our local traders showcase the good things we have, and provide new experiences within the community,” she said.
Ferntree Gully CFA’s Graham Crichton, a passionate, long-term member of the community, thinks the lights would be of great value.
“We need something to give the town a facelift,” he said.
Several Ferntree Gully locals took to social media to share their thoughts on the proposal, which generally brought a positive response.
Some comments included that locals “think that it would definitely enhance a safe feeling within people”, “fairy lights add atmosphere”, or say that “this would be a great way to make the village a more inviting place to be”, and bring a “much needed positive vibe to our community”.
Another local said “it’s a shame that our village has missed out when many other Knox shopping strips like Mountain Gate got some string lights installed. They are really eye-catching at night, so anything to help attract people to our FTG village” and “Lighting to beautify the village at night would certainly beautify the area and be more inviting to customers”.
The Ferntree Gully Traders Association are planning to apply for a grant to install solar lights to the main trees down Station Street and Forest Street, as well as markets and other community-building initiatives.
For more information, contact the Ferntree Gully Traders Association.
