First city forum to consider our energy future
Media Release

Issue Date: Monday 8 October 2007

The first of the Bold Future City Forums, in which residents will put their views on what they would like the Gold Coast to be like 30 years from now, will be held on Wednesday 31 October.

The forum on Our Energy Future will be held at 6.30pm at the Greenmount Beach Resort Hotel at Coolangatta.

Mayor Ron Clarke said Bold Future was the biggest community engagement exercise ever undertaken by a council in Australia, and would develop a blueprint for our city until 2037.

“Our goal is for at least one person in every Gold Coast household to give their views on how to safeguard the environmental, economic and social sustainability of our city over the next three decades,” said Cr Clarke. “We want to know residents’ priorities for the Gold Coast, their ideas on how we can achieve their goals, the challenges they think we might encounter and how we can best meet them.

“People can spend five minutes completing a survey on-line or filling in a hard copy at one of our libraries or customer service centres, or they can register to attend a City Forum. There will be two forums on each of nine key themes: energy, beaches, culture, the economy, water, environment, transport, the community and land use. Only 200 people can be accommodated at each of the forums and those interested in attending should register as quickly as possible by phoning 566 75804 or on line at boldfuture.com.au.

“Over the next 12 months, community feedback from all sources will be considered by an advisory committee of prominent community representatives, who will mould the community’s wish list into a Bold Future blue print for the Gold Coast, including actions and time frames. This will determine the direction of the Council’s Corporate Plan, which will detail a rolling strategy that will be the envy of other cities.”

The City Forums will include presentations by experts, working sessions for participants and professional facilitators to assist with gathering feedback. The second City Forum on Our Energy Future will be held at 6.30pm on 1 November at Robina Community Centre.

City Forums on Our Economy Future will be held at 2.30pm and 6.30pm on 7 November at the Gold Coast Arts Centre.