It’s a grassroots movement that has produced green results.

The Kingston Traders have done it. The ACT Government has agreed that the grass will be replanted to make Green Square green once more. The traders are now keeping their fingers crossed that work will start quickly and be completed in time for summer.

Gabi Radinger, who owns Radinger Jewellers with her husband Erich, is one of the main players in the long, drawn-out effort to have Green Square restored to its former glory.

‘It’s not the first time a group of Kingston traders have tried to get the government to re-plant the grass,’ says Gabi. ‘It’s not a huge project but one that is near-and-dear to our hearts. We circulated a petition and in a short time had more than 900 signatures. It’s a relief the government has finally paid attention.’

Kingston is Canberra’s first official retail district. For many, Green Square forms the heart of the area—at least it did when the grass was green. When the drought set in, the ACT Government conducted a study and then erected brick and gravel paths in Green Square. At the same time, however, they ripped out the green grass and replaced it with drought-tolerant, spiky plants and shrubs.

‘The infrastructure work has enhanced the area,’ says Gabi, whose studio office has overlooked Green Square for 28 years. ‘But the plants and shrubs restrict movement by the kids and families who have always come here to socialise. You can sit on grass and enjoy a coffee but you can’t sit on a spiky plant.’

As we reported earlier this month, a few years back, a group of local traders wrote the Government to ask for the grass to be replanted, stating the area was beginning to suffer business wise. Their letters and requests were not answered.

Fast track to today and the traders—now around 35 of them—went at it again.

Restaurant owner Pawl Cubbin, who has interests in the building which previously housed First Floor and the Holy Grail (now being re-developed), joined the group. ‘To be honest, we just want the area reverted back to a family-friendly, beautiful looking place with true heart and soul,’ says Pawl. ‘It’s as simple as that.’

More letters were written to the government. The first was ignored. The second received a ‘no-can-do’ response. The third, written in August, even saw the traders offer to pay for the new grass themselves and cover the costs of re-planting , maintaining and watering it (with the system the government currently uses for the existing plants and shrubs).

When the traders didn’t hear back on their August letter, they sought the help of Steve Doszpot, Liberal Member for Molonglo, who attended a meeting to listen to their concerns. They also started a Facebook page to continue to gather support and started their petition.

Doszpot organised to put forth a motion at the Legislative Assembly on the morning of Wednesday 23 October, to present the 900-name petition and explain in details the traders’ concerns. On Tuesday 22 October, at 6pm, the ACT Government responded to the traders, apologising that their last letter had been ‘mislaid’ and indicating the government acceded to the request for grassed area.

In presenting the motion, Doszpot said: ‘This issue is one of amenity and reputation for Canberra. We pride ourselves on our natural credentials and our leafy suburbs, but we are in danger of losing that reputation …’

Doszpot also said the community consultation process undertaken several years ago for the Kingston Centre Master Planning Process, resulted in a report indicating that Green Square was ‘highly valued for its village character vibrancy, diversity of activities and amenities and good coffee, and the outdoor spaces were well established and leafy but could be more user friendly and that Green Square could be greener.’

This is the heart of the matter say the traders.

So what’s next? Well the ACT Government has given the traders a contact in the TAMS Directorate to speak to about how the greening of Green Square should proceed. It remains to be seen if the traders’ request to have the works completed as part of Centenary celebrations will come true.

Stay tuned … and follow the Kingston Traders on facebook.com/kingstontraders