March 23, 2018
The first round of public consultations on the multi-million dollar revitalisation of the Kingaroy CBD revealed a surprise result on Thursday … everyone is keen for improvements to be made in Kingaroy, Alford and Haly streets but less keen on the creation of a “Kingaroy Plaza” in Glendon Street.
Experts from JFP Urban Consultants – the Brisbane-based company which was commissioned last year to to begin planning Kingaroy’s CBD upgrade – joined with Council staff to speak at meetings held in the Kingaroy Town Hall Reception Room for CBD property owners, CBD traders and the general public.
A total of about 75 people attended the three sessions, and the consensus was unanimous … if the project is to be completed in stages, the Glendon Street plaza should be done last.
Kingaroy Chamber of Commerce and Industry members had enjoyed a sneak peek at the concept plans at their recent meet’n’greet but for most people, it was their first opportunity to take a look at the initial proposals.
South Burnett Regional Council Technical Services Manager James D’Arcy said the consultants had gone back to the old makeover plans for Kingaroy developed by landscape architect John Mongard in the early 2000s.
Mr Mongard’s company helped to create the then-Kingaroy Shire Council makeover of the Town Hall Forecourt, O’Neill Square and the Heritage Precinct (Art Gallery, Visitor Information Centre and Museum).
Mr D’Arcy said there had been a lot of good material gathered by Mongards during some robust community engagement but not all the issues that had been identified had been addressed at the time by Kingaroy Shire Council.
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Street Upgrades
The area that has been identified as the centre of attention for the project is bounded by Youngman, Haly, Markwell and Kingaroy streets.
This area includes Alford Street, from Youngman to Kingaroy, and George Street.
Andrew Galt, from JFP Urban Consultants, described proposals to improve the streets with angle parking, “build-outs” and pedestrian refuges at the intersections, and more trees (while gradually removing the colourful but messy rain trees which are now classified as invasive plants by Biosecurity Queensland).
Concrete median strips would also be introduced to help control and slow traffic, making the area safer.
Another change would be the relocation of the Haly Street pedestrian crossing from near the South Burnett Times to near Raine & Horne.
Concerns were expressed from the audience that the proposed designs could hinder truck access to businesses along Haly Street.
Also discussed was the matter of pig trucks traversing Haly Street, famously described by a former Kingaroy mayor as “the smell of money”.
Mr Galt said the revitalisation had to be a balancing act between the safety and attractiveness of the CBD, and the important part that pig trucks played in the local economy.
However, he said the suggested changes to Haly Street could encourage the trucks to use another route, for example King Street.
Mr Galt stressed that Youngman, Haly and Kingaroy streets were all State-controlled roads, which meant any changes on these streets would have to be approved by the Department of Transport and Main Roads.
The proposed changes in Alford and Markwell streets – Council-controlled roads – would be easier to achieve but would also most likely require a reconfiguration of access to Shoppingworld’s underground car park.
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Car Parking
Car parking in the Kingaroy CBD was a major topic of conversation at all three sessions.
The removal of centre parking in Glendon, Alford and Markwell streets would make the areas safer but with the loss of many car parking spaces. To rectify this, a new bitumened car park would be built on the old railway land at the end of George Street, which potentially could be expanded westwards.
Access to this car park would be via George Street or by a link from the O’Neill Square car park behind the old Railway Station building.
Pedestrian access would be via a footpath along the side of the vacant block beside Raine & Horne which has been earmarked by Council for future development. This footpath would lead to the re-positioned zebra crossing on Haly Street.
Mr Galt conceded that about 50 vehicles were regularly parking in this undeveloped area already, mostly employees from local businesses.
Discussion at the lunch time session also included the possibility of including the Commonwealth Bank car park – at the rear of the Kingaroy Street shops – into the upgrade, as well as linking the cycleway down to Somerset Street (which would be a separate project).
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Town Hall Plaza
The most spectacular part of the project is the proposed “pedestrianisation” of Glendon Street to form a Town Hall Plaza.
JFP Urban Consultants have prepared three concepts for the re-development of this area:
- The Urban Plaza – A green open space with pavement and some covered seating at either end; this would add to the value of Kingaroy Library, providing areas for various activities.
- The Green – A larger park setting
- The Active Strip – A park setting with more space for commercial activities, such as “Taste South Burnett”-like businesses
This new Town Hall Plaza would extend the width of Glendon Street from the water feature in the current Town Hall Forecourt to a possibly re-configured play area next to the old bus station.
Access to the Fire Hydrant Booster at the base of the forecourt would be maintained to allow its use by fire engines; the former Community Health Building in the Glendon Street car park – owned by the State Government – would also have to be maintained with a roadway sweeping around the existing car park.
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Three video “fly-thrus” of the proposed CBD upgrades shown at the public sessions could not help but emphasise the power lines over all streets.
Mr D’Arcy said Council had been talking with Ergon Energy and the corporation may look at taking their infrastructure underground.
In fact, the most expensive parts of the revitalisation project will occur underground as vital services including water mains, sewerage pipes and communication lines criss-cross the area.
* * *
Mayor Keith Campbell said a revitalisation of Kingaroy was “certainly overdue” but Council would not be completing the project in one go.
The plans show various zones which would be developed gradually over several years as funds became available.
“It is not the only capital works program we have to do,” Mayor Campbell said.
“It will have to be supported by the State and Federal governments so we will be chasing down everv dollar for it that we can.”
South Burnett Regional Council currently has a funding application with the Federal Government’s Building Better Regions scheme for $2 million.
They should know if they have been successful within six weeks.
This $2 million would be matched with $3 million from the Council for the initial phase of the project.
“If we miss out on the funding now, there is a 90 per cent chance that it won’t be going ahead … now,” Mayor Campbell said.
“But we will be ready to take advantage of future funding opportunities.”
One final session in the current round of consultations was held in the Town Hall Reception Room from 9:00am to 11:00am on Friday, March 23.
Note: The South Burnett Regional Council has released a feedback form (2.33Mb PDF) for the public to make submissions on the Kingaroy project. Forms should be printed off, completed and returned to any Customer Service Centre.
Don’t be misled by fancy artists’ impressions as what Nanango got was a far cry from the drawings we were shown. Also find out if they will maintain them as Nanango has an ongoing issue with Gardens not kept up to scratch, leaves not picked up on a regular basis which then cause issues when it rains. Also the posts that have been put in are knocked over or knocked out and not repaired or replaced. They also need to be kept clean or give property owners access to water points so that we can keep them clean. No point in spending money if you are not going to keep it looking good.
That being said, Nanango now looks much better than it did and I love the upgrade. Would be great to see it in Kingaroy as well.
You can put glitter on a piece of s*** to glam it up. But in the end it’s still a piece of s***
So the old and families can lug their books to and from a George St car park? Not a good idea at all.
There is no shade in the Glendon street car park. Why? That has certainly not been an improvement.
And with the many functions in the forecourt of the hall, how are participants expected to lump chairs, blankets, baskets or anything else to and fro. There is not enough parking now when there is function on.
There is plenty of sitting space in the forecourt now. And the ridiculous little park. Why block off the road?
This is not an urban area. It is a get in and out as quickly as possible area during work hours. The mall is where to go to hang about.
Please do not take any more car parks away. And why plant more trees. They are always the wrong ones and are either taken out or vandalised or pruned mercilessly.
Fix the roads first. You can lose a small child down some of them
I thought there were more than just Kingaroy in the South Burnett Council but it always seems to get way more than anyone else. I mean $2 million! That could go some to Kingaroy and some to other places in the region.
The Friday morning presentation was excellent with all of the current proposals and options clearly explained with great input from a good cross section community members.
It is now our opportunity as responsible community members to provide our positive constructive feedback and ideas in writing or by email to KTRP@southburnett.qld.gov.au From what I understood from the JF&P Urban Consultants, we will have until after Easter to provide our feedback for consideration.
I did not attend any if the 3 recent meetings held on the proposed $2m revitalization of the Kingaroy CBD but I get the general picture from what I have read above and viewing the plans of the proposed changes provided.
I note that all streets in the CBD indicate that trees are to be planted up the middle of said streets. Has any thought whatsoever been given to the likely damage the roots of these trees will eventually do to the relevant street surfaces? My guess is “no”. Weren’t the trees in the Roger Nunn Place car park removed in the makeover/upgrade a couple of years ago because of similar damage to the surface therein.
And do we really need a Glendon Street Plaza?? It will remove numerous car parks as well as north/south access between Haly and Alford Streets. I’ve lost count over the years of the number if times I have driven “around the block” looking for a car park in either Alford, Kingaroy or Haly Streets. A plaza would mean a drive around 2 blocks ie travel on Youngman Street instead. Far from ideal in my view.
In my respectful opinion and applying the Common Sense Rule, the SBRC would be better off to spend a percentage of the proposed $2m to revitalise the Kingaroy CBD ie a general spruce up with the balance put towards repairs/upgrades to the many and various roads/streets in dire need of same throughout the SB region.
We do not need to lose any more car parks in this area. How are people to get to the library? No trees as roots become a problem. This money needs to be spent on roads first. Roads are necessary to all to get safely from place to place.
The plaza space is an absolute unnecessary waste of money. Fix the roads, leave the existing carparks. People who come to town to shop are more interested in finding a park close to the shop they are visiting so they don’t have to haul their shopping all over town. Parking out the front of Andersson’s looks to be reduced (again) to a mere seven carparks. How does this help to ‘revitalise’ the town when local businesses are in danger of less business because of this plan. Revamp O’Neill Square or some other space. Please do not shut off Glendon St.