UNTIL I began reading and hearing stories of anti-social and violent behaviour forcing traders to close their doors or workers to get a security escort through the area, I never really gave Hargreaves Mall much thought.
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Having lived in Bendigo for just over six years, I don’t know the Mall any other way.
I don’t remember the iron arches and shelters coupled with evergreen trees that used to run down the middle of it.
I certainly don’t remember it being a street, only people over the age of 35 might.
And I don’t remember ever feeling particularly comfortable in it.
Not until the recent reports of traders and employees having to deal with anti-social behaviour day in, day out, did I realise that I very rarely venture into Hargreaves Mall.
For years it has been an automatic avoidance for me.
I happily walk down Queen Street, I’ll loop around Pall Mall or I’ll shop in another area of the city.
But why the automatic avoidance? Because of the groups of rude and anti-social people that claim the mall as their own? Because it isn’t the most appealing of places to walk in Bendigo?
Perhaps it’s a combination of both because the only times I will happily wander through Hargreaves Mall is when Bendigo throws colour and life back into it.
The Moonlight Market, the Vibrant Street Festival and a showcase of vintage and classic cars are the most recent events that have shown how well the space can be used.
But the city can’t rely on continuous community events to keep the mall occupied and free from unruly groups of people.
If Victoria Police can’t place extra officers in the area, what is the next best solution?
Hargreaves Street was transformed into “the mall” during the early 1980s.
Maybe it is time to consider bringing the bitumen back to Hargreaves Mall.
Re-installing even a single-lane street similar to Bath Lane would give young groups less area to loiter.
And a single-lane street can still easily be closed off once or twice a month for community events.
It is disappointing that people and traders who work in Hargreaves Mall cannot feel safe in their own workspace.
No resident should be forced to either automatically or actively avoid an area of their community because of the poor actions of a select few.
- Chris Pedler, journalist