Cruising Braddon’s streets is a long established Summernats tradition. File photo.
Braddon traders say Lonsdale Street’s 9 pm closure during Summernats last year was “a disaster” for them, and that while this year’s 10 pm closure on the busiest weekend nights is an improvement, the government is still risking significant damage to local businesses and staff.
The government confirmed before Christmas that it would be leaving Lonsdale Street open to traffic until 10 pm on the Friday and Saturday nights of Summernats 2019. But the busy restaurant and entertainment precinct between Cooyong Street and Girrahween Street will then be closed until 1 am on Friday, 4 January and Saturday, 5 January.
Last year the government had initially intended to close the street to traffic from 6 pm over the same weekend period, but amended their plans after a petition with 3500 signatures was presented to them.
Car enthusiasts fear the long-established tradition of cruising Lonsdale St before crowds of onlookers is threatened by the decision. They’ve been joined by members of the Braddon United Retailers & Traders Association (BURT), who rely on the Summernats boost during Canberra’s quietest trading period.
The group are calling for a formal consultation process with the ACT Government, ACT Police and Summernats organisers to discuss closures and ensure sufficient notice is given, and say that the ongoing lack of communication with residents and businesses shows things must change.
Spokesman Kel Watt said BURT welcomed sensible action on safety, noise and speed impacting local residents. But he said these could be managed without being heavy-handed about singling out Summernats, while other events also run late into the night.
“BURT has written to Access Canberra, Summernats organisers and ACT Policing to ask for a meeting to better plan road closures and ensure businesses are warned well ahead of time. January trading is notoriously slow in Canberra. Summernats represents a lifeline for many businesses that would otherwise risk going under,” he said.
Local businesses fear that Braddon will lose trade from interstate visitors, but that Canberrans will also be deterred from a night out in the restaurant and bar district. BURT suggests that those who don’t enjoy the cruising tradition should probably dine elsewhere, but adds that the four days of Summernats can make or break January balance sheets.
“Last year, the sudden and unexpected announcement gave businesses no time to organise or respond. This year, a Christmas time announcement came too late for many businesses and staff to plan ahead properly,” Mr Watt said.
“Businesses and residents moved into the area knowing full well what activities and life are like in Braddon, including the last three decades of annual Summernats migration. Kicking off 2019 with another communication failure doesn’t make for a very happy New Year.”
Do you think that Lonsdale Street should be closed to traffic to protect residents?
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This event brings so much to Canberra. Business thrive from the traffic that the event brings.. I am sure people can manage with the street having NO curfew for 2 nights. It is a joke that the street is closed at 10pm. This is why nothing or no one comes to Canberra..
3 days a year, Police are on the scene, get over it Braddon traders.
Curfew? Idiots! They have to ruin it someway or another. Canberra has nothing, so for 3 days they can keep tbeir uptight heads away from people enjoying themselves
Come on people. One week end a year. Millions of dollars 💵 into economy and what about petrol ⛽️ sales. Embrace the history of cars 🚘
Can people stop dragging (pun intended) the LGBTQ community into this? Many of us are fans of Summernats, and I don’t know anyone who would want to get rid of the Lonsdale Street tradition. We definitely understand the importance and sharing your passion and values openly with your community, so stop throwing us under the bus. We’re not your enemy.
Don't know who the Minister is, but if it's the Green Shane Rattenbury I won't fall off my chair. He's already attempted to bring in curfews on P platers. If these measures have not been asked for by the community, or previously discussed, then this is perhaps another bit of over reach. Not a fan of Summer Nats. either, just hate to see Government being overly authoritarian. Given the Greens are very much in the minority in the ACT government, perhaps the Policing portfolio should be given to a Labor MLA who might reflect the broader wishes of the community, better rather than a member of a party, that sometimes is seen as having a base with more narrow interests. Art, music, nature, bikes, fine, but hotted up cars? But yes, to be fair, even car fans should not be excluded or overly penalised in the community. The policing portfolio can impact on everyday Canberrans, as we saw with the defeated attempt to bring in P. plate curfews. Time for a Ministerial re-shuffle I think, Andrew Barr .
its only once a year and in the festive season. leave it be!
Nathan Edwards anti bogan 😩
Who pays the government wages...
This government has been on the nose since Stanhope left...
Bet if one of these car enthusiasts identified as a minority group and painted a roundabout on their car and made a donation to the tram line, the summernats enthusiasts wouldn't be so hard done by !
oh dear gord. it’s what? 3 days in one year? No wonder the rest of australia thinks canberra as non fun place...
They would have another issue, car parks anyways
Once a year. Com'on Govt.
Simple run a competition first prize second prize third prize total of $35000 vote by mobile phone 4 People's Choice summer Nats car of the year!
Do it on Friday and Saturday night 7 till 11pm. Money raised by selling merchandise for the current year which allows you to vote one vote per merchandise purchase over $10. Thoughts? Perhaps a portion of the funds raised also could go to a wonderful charity for the homeless.
10 pm closure is a good idea. That “Summernats culture” needs to be kept well away from Haig Park.
As another resident, I think that something is necessary to push out the vehicles that insist on making a lot of noise by revving wildly at all hours of the night and morning. I don’t have a problem with the cruise, but there’s a small number of people that seem to think that hundreds of residents should go without sleep for several nights due to a “tradition”. Sorry, I don’t agree. Lonsdale St is no longer the same street that it was years ago.
The noise started at 6am on Thursday morning, what a great start to the event, having a car revved repeatedly for an hour right near our apartment block. Yes that’s 0600.
For those uninformed people who make comments like “they all moved in knowing what it was like”, a) not true, and b) do some research on how noise works in urban areas – the noise regulations aren’t based on “who got here first”. Ob reference: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-18/nsw-live-music-report-noise-battle-for-space/10427692
I do agree that last year was a bit of a joke, the street was deserted by 9:15pm, and that some compromises may be necessary. But at the moment it looks to me like we have quite a few people saying “you Braddon people should just put up with it, [ffs]”.
No thanks.
Oh the Hoi Polloi could not possibly understand the climate change damage these Larakins cause, best retire to the national gallery and write a stiff letter to the Times I say, the barbarians are at Lonsdale St.
Lisa Palaszewski fingers crossed for you!
They closed it for the 🌈
Ivan Marijan Peric this is what happens when they elected a government run by homosexual male , I hope that’s the correct terminology lol
Who has no “family values” in a small/growing country town that’s always been.. instead he lives in a Braddon apartment trying to make it Melbourne while holding Mardi grays in it!!
Ohhh and to top it off summer nats brings in more revenue in 4days! When Floriade goes for weeks AT THE COST OF CANBERRA TAXPAYERS...
and don’t blame Summernats for road closures that’s Andrew Barr’s Government and the AFP TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE REVENUE NOTHING MORE!!!
Kye Paskanoski 100% man Barr pulled those strings
...and I don't the street locals were as opposed to it as they are the Summernats takeover.
Typical of this fascist government !