October 5, 2022
Work on the Kingaroy Transformation Project is expected to wind up early next year with alfresco dining options likely to appear on the town’s footpaths within months.
At Wednesday’s Infrastructure standing committee meeting, Councillors were told five wet weather events had caused the KTP project to run slightly behind schedule.
However, Council officers expected the project’s finishing touches would be applied by early next year.
These included footpath painting, garden bed plantings, line marking, electrical works, final resurfacing and the installation of Glendon Street’s infrastructure.
Some street furniture and bins to accommodate new alfresco dining sites have already been installed in Kingaroy Street.
The remaining street furniture is being assembled by Bryan Zelinski Engineering in Murgon and is expected to be installed during the next few weeks.
Project manager Aaron Meehan told the meeting final works on the project should not interfere with any CBD businesses.
Most footpath painting and electrical work was expected to be completed by the end of November, weather permitting.
The Council hopes the alfresco areas will “activate” the CBD and introduce some of the “café culture” common in coastal areas.
Councillors were told two alfresco areas located outside the Commercial Hotel and Club Hotel were expected to be operated by both of those businesses.
The Council has also been receiving inquiries from other hospitality businesses interested in making use of the remaining Kingaroy Street sites.
Councillors were told that fences around the alfresco areas will need to be oiled each year and they suggested Council charge a leasing fee of $500 a year for each one to help cover this ongoing maintenance cost.
Council will also ask operators to keep the alfresco areas smoke-free; to pay the cost of repairing any damage to the structures; to keep them clean; and to use them in a manner that actively promotes CBD patronage.
The meeting authorised CEO Mark Pitt to seek out interested operators and draw up lease agreements with successful applicants.
