December 13, 2017
The South Burnett Regional Council will apply for a $2 million grant to help fund an upgrade of Kingaroy’s CBD.
At its monthly meeting on Wednesday, Councillors voted to submit a grant application to the infrastructure stream of the Building Better Regions Fund.
If the application is successful, the Council will also contribute $3 million from its own funds towards the project.
On Tuesday, South Burnett Mayor Keith Campbell told southburnett.com.au the $5 million would be applied to the first phase of a proposed upgrade of Kingaroy’s CBD.
Concept plans for the upgrade are still being drawn up, but are expected to be released for public consultation in the first half of 2018.
It is believed the plans will include the construction of a large car park between O’Neill Square and Youngman Street behind shops on the northern side of Haly Street.
An extension of the town hall forecourt across Glendon Street to create a “town square” is also thought to be under consideration.
Cr Terry Fleischfresser said he felt an upgrade of Kingaroy’s CBD was well overdue.
Cr Fleischfresser said he didn’t recall how long it had been since either the former Kingaroy Shire Council or the SBRC had carried out any major CBD upgrades, but he was certain it was a very long time.
Earlier this year the Council applied to the Building Better Regions Fund for a $250,000 contribution towards the $460,000 cost of building a sealed carpark, landscaping and other works associated with the relocation of Blackbutt’s Memorial Hall.
That application had been turned down, and the Council elected to press ahead with the project using its own funds.
Mayor Campbell said he was hopeful the Council’s latest application would be viewed more favourably because the SBRC would be contributing sixty per cent of the costs.
