Mayor hails Big Top revitalisation
Mayor Mark Jamieson was part of the official opening of the new Big Top Market Fresh in Maroochydore today as the iconic centre becomes the first in Australia to incorporate traditional market days, featuring Sunshine Coast farmers and producers, alongside a range of retailers.
Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson has hailed the revitalisation of the Big Top shopping centre in the heart of Maroochydore’s Principal Activity Centre as a major win for the Coast community, especially local produce growers.
Mayor Jamieson was part of the official opening of the new Big Top Market Fresh today with the centre becoming the first in Australia to incorporate traditional market days, featuring Coast farmers, alongside a range of retailers.
The three hectare site is owned by Reed Property Group which launched the Ocean Street dining and entertainment precinct as stage one of the project last Easter.
“It is certainly an exciting time in the history of the centre of Maroochydore,” Mayor Jamieson said.
“The Big Top is an iconic Sunshine Coast building that has many fond memories for our Coast residents and visitors and it’s very pleasing to be able to come here today and see the really positive results of its ambitious redevelopment.
“The Ocean Street dining and entertainment precinct has undoubtedly been an outstanding success and with the revitalisation of the Big Top, we now have a key destination for fresh food, dining and entertainment on the Sunshine Coast that is providing a fine service for our community by supporting our local produce growers and creating local jobs.
“The concept of primary product being sold here, right next to retail outlets and restaurants, many of whom are getting their primary product needs right here, makes so much sense.
“It meets the demand that Sunshine Coast residents are making that fresh, local food be available through a market system, that retail outlets sell the same, and that local restaurants also have access to quality local product.”
Reed Property Group Head of Development Jay Emmerton said the $20 million revitalisation would reinvent the future of convenience shopping.
“Reed Property Group has responded to retail customer trends and have created an innovative vision which has come to fruition through Big Top Market Fresh,” Mr Emmerton said.
“Nowhere else can you access the convenience of specialty stores with the excitement, colour and fresh flavours of local farmers’ markets in the one place.”
The Big Top Farmers’ Markets will be managed by Shane Stanley who has been running Noosa Farmers’ Markets since 2002.
“We’re all about creating opportunity and helping the livelihood for the farmers and producers and when we were presented with the opportunity to run our markets at the Big Top, our stallholders immediately supported this vision,” Mr Stanley said.
Market days will initially run on Wednesdays from 10am-6pm, Fridays from 3pm-9pm and Saturdays from 8am until 3pm.