LAST year’s multimillion-dollar investments in Footscray have contributed to a prosperous start to the new year.
Traders have reported a significant rise in business over the Christmas holiday period and it seems the trend is continuing into the new year.
Improved relationships between police and traders and significant infrastructure upgrades have been listed as reasons for the turnaround.
Footscray Traders Association secretary Fiona McDonnell said traders agreed the Christmas entertainment, provided in place of traditional street decorations, stimulated interest and visitors to the area.
“I know from my end that we have never been busier. It was a very good festive season all round,” she said.
Ms McDonnell said that over the past 12 months many people had helped to clean up Footscray’s image and make the suburb safer.
Ms McDonnell said the completion of stage one works in the Nicholson Stmall, the creation of Maddern Square and the $52.1 million Footscray Station and forecourt redevelopment showed that there were exciting times ahead for Footscray.
“People in general are just feeling very optimistic and now people are spending money in Footscray and this is a really good trend,” she said.
Ms McDonnell praised local police for recent operations that had increased the police presence across the city and helped residents feel safer.
“We have a very strong working relationship with police,” she said.
“We are thrilled with the police work that went on prior to Christmas and happy to hear further work is now continuing to help keep our young people happy and safe.”
Inspector Scott Mahony said residents should not be alarmed if they sawn increased number of police as they were generally working on making the suburb safer.
Insp Mahony said additional police we being used as part of a four-week operation across the West to decrease alcohol-related crimes in licensed venues and public spaces.
“What we are hoping to do is set the tone for what behaviour will be acceptable around the licensed venues for the remainder of the summer and try to reduce the amount of crime that is being committed and the criminal damages and assaults that are generally linked to alcohol,” he said.
Insp Mahony said people had been well behaved in the first week of the operation, with only one arrest for drunken behaviour.
“The general response is good, the licensees were generally happy to see the police checking the premises and all the members involved thought it was a very positive outcome,” he said.
