Petition ignites discussion about Geelong’s mall

COMEDIC Facebook page “Take the P**s Geelong” has created an online petition calling for the City of Greater Geelong to restore the city’s crime-ridden Little Malop Street hang-out spot.

An interesting agenda for the social media page to push given most of its material is based on making a mockery of the city and its inhabitants, administrators of the group – which has a following of over 80,000 people – said the petition was necessary after news of a stabbing near the Moorabool Street bus interchange broke on Friday January 25.

“It’s taken 30 years for the mall to earn its reputation. Kids as young as nine-years-old walk through and are intimidated by kids not much older than them. We understand the kids who hang around that place have issues, but it shouldn’t be the town’s issue,” one of the three group administrators said.

“The feedback we keep on getting from people is that they deliberately avoid the area. People are sick of being told that plans are underway when nothing ever comes.

“The city has come so far in the last 15 years and it’s one part of the town that’s holding Geelong back from taking giant steps forward.”

Little Malop Street’s crime history dates back to May 1995 when 16-year-old Ricky Balcombe was brutally stabbed to death.

In 2006, a 22-year-old university student was raped in the mall by a 29-year-old man.

With safety concerns on the rise, City of Greater Geelong director investment and attraction Brett Luxford said the COGG remains committed to working in partnership with Victoria Police to reduce crime in Geelong’s city centre and to ensure the community feels safe using public spaces.

“The Revitalising Central Geelong Partnership team, comprised of officers from state departments and agencies and the City of Greater Geelong, has facilitated discussions between the owners of Market Square and Centrepoint Arcade, the City of Greater Geelong (the owners of the Little Malop Street mall), Urban Designers, the Geelong Authority and the State Government around the future options for the CBD block comprising Malop Street, Moorabool Street, Yarra Street and Ryrie Street,” he said.

“This block includes the Market Square Shopping Centre, Centrepoint Arcade and the mall.

“As these discussions are at a very early stage, it is premature to release any draft high-level concept plans for public consultation.”

To view and sign the petition, visit facebook.com/takethepissgeelong or change.org.