SAVE OUR WOLLONGONG FRIDAY MARKETS!

WE ARE CALLING ON YOU TO SAY NO TO THE DECISION TO SELL-OFF THE FRIDAY MARKETS WITHOUT CONSIDERATION OF THE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY.

The Wollongong Friday markets organisers have a track record of successfully creating, managing, building, and nurturing this community event for 14 years. Council now realises that the markets have been attracting more than 4000 people to the mall each Friday, in an area that was once empty, and now revitalised.  In response to this, Council has claimed the markets as their own business asset, to be put out to tender, and handed it to possibly the highest and most polished bidder.The market has since been stripped from the founders with absurdly short notice.

It’s time to act as a community for the community.

Join together and stand behind this petition to the Mayor and tell Council that community matters more than business. It is patently not fair that council can decide to demolish over a decade of community building effort and business. Let us show them that we are a community who cares.

This petition demands that Council reverse this disrespectful decision and return the Friday Markets to the rightful managers and the local people who have been enjoying the markets as they are for the past 14 years.

Please read these to be more informed about the complexity of this issue:

From Illawarra Mercury: http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/4209015/its-about-community-not-dollars/​

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/4224684/complaint-prompts-council-probe-into-friday-market-changes/

More in depth information and thoughts from supporters:

https://www.change.org/p/save-our-wollongong-friday-markets/c/519351146​

https://www.change.org/p/save-our-wollongong-friday-markets/c/516640946​

https://www.change.org/p/save-our-wollongong-friday-markets/c/516641318

Below are some of the many impacts of this decision:

 ·       Market Organisers Jenny and Lara have lost their business.

·       The organisers employ a team to assist the smooth running of the market, who have lost valuable weekly income.

·       The stall holders - many who have been there for over 10 years - look likely to lose their weekly income, as it was presented by Council and new owner, Kirrily Sinclair (of Foragers Markets, Bulli and Eat Street Market,) in a public media statement.

·       The Wollongong community - who has benefited from the fresh, locally made produce, artisan foods, and handmade art and craft - feels deeply shocked and disappointed to lose their local weekly market.

·       This market has been providing access to local fresh food, art and craft, paid opportunities for local musicians to play, as well as providing one free stall per week for community groups, and low cost stalls for local artists to be able to present their work.

·       CULTURE BANK – an innovative community stimulus project supporting local arts funding and culture - has been established from this market.

·       This decision means that Council has permitted the three major weekly markets in the Wollongong region to be monopolised by the Foragers Market business.

SIGN THE PETITION NOW AND A LETTER WILL BE SENT OUT ON YOUR BEHALF TO GORDON BRADBERY, THE MAYOR OF WOLLONGONG.

IF YOU KNOW ANY ORGANISATION, PERSON, WELL KNOWN PERSON, MEDIA, THAT WOULD BE WILLING TO BACK THIS PETITION PLEASE LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE.