{"status": "ok", "message": "Success!", "html": "\u003Cp\u003ETimbertown has been a drain on community resources for almost it's entire existence.\u003C/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThere have been numerous attempts to resurrect it over the years - both by Council and private sector interests - all to no avail.\u003C/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIt would be interesting to quantify the direct financial cost to Council and individuals of doing this over the years - perhaps Council could quantify this for us - it is certainly relevant.\u003C/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIt is also noteworthy to consider that similar theme parks in Sydney and the central coast - while initially successful - have by and large faltered and turned out to be non-viable.  \u003C/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIt's not clear what the reason is - whether public interest and patronage has simply waned due to overexposure, changing patterns of leisure pursuit, high cost v's low returns, lack of diversity, etc.\u003C/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EWhatever the reason, the fact remains that largely these types of attractions has proved to be viable over the longer term - despite significant capital infusions by private sector interests.\u003C/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EWe should also consider what is the role of Council.\u003C/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIt is there to service the needs of the local community - not to engage in commercial enterprises - which is correctly the domain of the private sector.\u003C/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe simple glaring fact is that the ongoing requirement for funds over the years - together with the projected significant additional infusion of investment - in a community that is already financially stretched and has rather onerous financial commitments in relation the Glass House - means that, realistically, Council is not really in a position to responsibly contemplate going down the same track again.\u003C/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ELooking around the council area - it is apparent that there are many pressing community needs - not least of which is maintaining a reasonable road network to sustain the steady stream of residents and tourists traversing the area.\u003C/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe infrastructure of the area - the roads, parks, lawns and gardens and public facilities are our window to the world - the first thing people to the area see and the most impressionable - and it is these, together with the routine needs of the community, that require priority rather than the pursuit of an emotional and historical attachment to a concept that has proven to be non-viable.\u003C/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThis leads me to the matter of claimed external benefits to the general community of rejuvenating Timbertown. There have been numerous claims made but no attempt to quantify them.\u003C/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EI really must question whether there would be any significant spinoff to the community of further developing Timbertown. As indicated above, similar experiences have proved by and large to be unsuccessful, and it is hard to imagine that Timbertown, in itself, would be the catalyst that would generate any significant additional tourism to the area.\u003C/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAs for tourists already committed to the area - one cannot say with any degree of certainty that Timbertown would generate additional tourism income to the region - an expenditure may simply be at the expense to other tourist activities in the area - after all, people have limited funds and have to make choices about their expenditure.\u003C/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EI know that the question of Timbertown is an emotional issue - but rational decision-making is not based on emotion - it is based on fact and reality - and the demise of Timbertown to date - despite the significant resources that have been poured into it - is the stark reality of the situation now facing us.\u003C/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EShould interests in the community wish to mobilize to implement some sort of rescue of Timbertown (again) - then let them make an offer to Council and run it as a privately-controlled commercial venture.\u003C/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIf they are not prepared to do so - it is unreasonable to expect the general community to subsidize their own vested interests.\n \u003C/p\u003E\u0026nbsp;"}