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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-05-05 Daily Xml
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Adelaide Electorate

Ms HOOD (Adelaide) (15:44): For my first grievance to this house I wish to speak about my wonderful community of Prospect where my young family lives and acknowledge the hardworking small business owners and locals within it. In particular, I would like to acknowledge Prospect Road, a main street that is such an important community hub for locals. The local small businesses on this street are hardworking and resilient. They faced significant challenges not only during the last two years of the global COVID-19 pandemic but also in particular during the last seven months.

In mid-September last year, I was woken just before dawn by the sound of fire engines in the distance. It was the unfortunate sound of the beautiful, historic Rosemont Hall and Sunny's Shop building burning to the ground. It was a bustling, popular restaurant in our community, and it took 40 firefighters to get the blaze under control. While they were able to save the surrounding businesses they were not able to save Rosemont Hall and Sunny's Shop.

This tragic fire sent shockwaves throughout the Prospect community. Rosemont Hall and Sunny's Shop has been somewhat of an icon on Prospect Road since 2016 and 2017. It is where many locals have celebrated date nights, family celebrations or simply met there to catch up with friends. It was often where you would find me at lunchtime over the last two years taking a break from doorknocking and treating myself to a chicken pho. It is that good, I even used to have it on 40-degree days.

Since that devastating fire, the last seven months have been incredibly difficult for Prospect Road and its small businesses. For safety reasons, large orange barriers and fencing were placed in front of the business blocking off the footpath and the bike path, and also making it really difficult for access for local businesses. It effectively cut Prospect Road in half. I was able to successfully advocate for a scramble crossing to be put in to assist with safety of pedestrians and locals in the area. However, it was a very difficult situation for many of the small businesses in the street.

I would like to acknowledge the owners of Rosemont Hall and Sunny's Shop, Aaron and One Ratanatray and Aaron's partner, Tamara—firstly to acknowledge that they have gone through so much these last seven months seeing their livelihood burn to the ground—and also the other local small businesses affected by this tragic fire.

In particular, I would like to acknowledge Indy Love, a beautiful homewares and clothing store on Prospect Road, and its owners Helen and Jason Aldridge, and also Maria and Athena Aslinedis at Parthenon Kids' boutique. I thank all of them for their work in advocating for the street. Also to Jimmy at Muratti’s and Felicia at Montaigo Boutique.

Further down Prospect Road you will find Anita and Maria at Cibo Prospect, who have lost several car parks in front of their business because the bus stop had to be moved further down Prospect Road. I will be advocating to the Department for Infrastructure and Transport to make sure that the bus stop is returned to its original place as soon as possible to facilitate more parking in front of Cibo Prospect.

I wish all these small businesses, and in particular the Ratanatray family, all the best as they undertake the rebuild of Rosemont Hall and Sunny's Shop. Demolition has now finished, and in the next three months we hope to have a foundation laid on the site. I ask everyone in our community to come down to support our local businesses and our main street, and I cannot wait to be back at Rosemont Hall and Sunny's enjoying as chicken pho or a katsu chicken sandwich very, very soon.

Time expired.

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