'Be careful what you wish for' - Wave park red light a backwards step for Douglas

DEVELOPMENT THE KEY

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Founder and director of the proposed wave park, Dave Imgraben. Picture: Michael Warren

There's been plenty of reaction since news broke, that as it stands, the Wave Park development won't be proceeding.

Some were quietly happy about it, but the vast majority that posted on Newsport's Facebook page showed a mix of disbelief, sadness, disappointment, frustration and anger.

Among those who let their feelings be known was local resident David Haratsis, who delivered a measured, succinct reaction to last Friday's developments.

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COMMENT - David Haratsis

Any development here should be sympathetic to residents and the environment, but people need to be realistic too. Until the 80s, this place was a nothing town.

No jobs, no nothing. All those people who want it to remain the same should remember it has never been “the same”. It is constantly changing. And change can be good, if managed properly.

Unfortunately, there is an attitude amongst many people here that any change is bad, and that if you support change you are a “southerner”.

Those people don’t consider that families live here, and want to continue living here. Which benefits the town and saves it from being purely an itinerant place. 

And the only way to keep youth here and maintain employment is with amenities and investment. Opposing any sort of change, which seems to be the norm here, will see the town slowly wither and die as youth move out, and tourists stop paying inflated prices for outdated accommodation.

By encouraging investment in Port Douglas, you encourage a job for local kids and help to keep the town running.

Not every tourist wants to pay a fortune to stay in an old block wall hotel when they could stay in a villa in Bali for less. Be careful what you wish for, DSSG!

Thank you!

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