Page 56 - Tropic Magazine Issue 20

TROPIC • URBAN AFFAIRS

Lessons from New York City

CITY TIPS
Tropic’s editor Gavin King brings back some bite-sized ideas from 3 Tall poppy syndrome
his recent trip to the Big Apple. doesn’t exist

Forget hot dog carts, giant pizza slices and skyscrapers – there’s much more to New Yorkers (and Americans in
the Big Apple than clichés and postcard tourist attractions. During a three- general) embody a refreshing,
week stay in New York City, surprising encounters and unexpected moments progressive attitude when it comes
sparked new thinking and perspectives about the way our city operates here in to competition and success. Whether
Cairns. Despite the obvious differences between the two destinations – they you’re just starting out or achieving
great things, you’ll be supported and
have a population of more than 8 million people, for example – here are some celebrated for it. Confidence is an
ideas and lessons Cairns could adopt from one of the greatest cities on earth. asset, rather than being viewed as
arrogance. They’ll compliment you if
it’s warranted, from the cool clothes
1 Close the streets you’re wearing to the exceptional
service you’re providing. Here, our
On weekends, I would step up from random negative approach to achievement
stops on the subway to find entire blocks and competition is stifling and small-
temporarily closed to traffic so that food minded. Be more vocal about your
stalls, markets, events – and people - could own success and support others
take over. I’m talking some of the busiest who are delivering high-quality work,
streets in the world, including right in the services or products.
heart of midtown Manhattan. We can’t close
a tiny section of Cairns Esplanade (even just TIP If you see someone doing
once a week) without fierce opposition from great things, be it in business or
a vocal few who seem to stop councillors their personal life, tell them so.
from making any bold decisions. Yet the
authorities in NYC can shut down major
roads every single weekend. On one such
occasion, I walked along the middle of 5th Celebrate diversity
Ave eating and browsing for nearly 10 blocks 4 and multiculturalism
all the way up to Central Park. Locals and
tourists embrace these street parties, while New York City is home to the most
cabs, cyclists and motorists just deal with it. diverse cultural mix in the United
States – indeed of any metropolis
TIP Be brave and trial the regular, temporary closure of more streets in the in the world - and they celebrate
Cairns CBD and the suburbs. Let the people decide if it’s a good idea. it, big time. This dynamic form of
multiculturalism is found everywhere
from countless festivals and cultural
days to specific museums, hybrid
2 Chill out about alcohol cuisines, and the auditory overload
of an estimated 800 languages you
I bought beer from a stall in a park while hear in bodegas and bars, on street
watching a live band. I drank booze while corners and the subway. We already
watching Shakespeare’s Othello performed do a good job of celebrating our
in Bryant Park. I sipped a schooner at a multicultural mix, given our town’s
shopping centre’s incredible food hall. I was Indigenous Australian foundation and
offered a glass of wine while browsing in a our gold prospecting, cane farming
shop. It all felt very adult. No-one was out of past. We shouldn’t hesitate to do
control drunk. It’s an absolute joke we can’t even more to celebrate our cultural
legally have a glass of wine with a picnic diversity.
on our beautiful Esplanade. Crack down on
drunks and intoxicated idiots and let the rest TIP Take a coordinated approach to
of us be grown-ups. local cultural festivals and events
and better support and promote
TIP Lift the ban on alcohol consumption on Cairns Esplanade and promote them. Also, why doesn’t the culturally
it as a vibrant place of picnics and parties, while policing the handful of rich Cairns Museum attract more
people who abuse the privilege. visitors?

56 • Tropic • Issue 20