November 29, 2023
Misinformation spread on social media about alleged plans to build a car park in Kingaroy’s Adermann Park were quashed on Wednesday.
Speaking at the South Burnett Regional Council’s monthly Infrastructure Standing Committee meeting, CEO Mark Pitt said Council’s aim was to remedy parking issues in the immediate area around St John’s Lutheran School and upgrade obsolete playground equipment.
However – contrary to claims on social media – the Council has no plans to build a car park, and never has.
Mr Pitt said he believed the rumours had been started by references to a 2018 Sport and Recreation Plan for the region, which spoke about “rationalising” some of the region’s parks and sporting facilities.
“Rationalise means, basically, how can we make it more efficient and either spend less money or produce better services,” Mr Pitt said.
He said the 2018 plan called for negotiating with the school – which shares one of the park’s boundaries – to use part of the park for playground activities.
“(But) there is no reference to a car park in the entire document,” he said.
Mr Pitt said a development proposal for the school currently under way was entirely within St John’s grounds, and he thought comments which had been directed against the school were unfair.
He said Council’s attention was focussed on improving safety near the school, as it was with all the region’s schools.
The CEO made his statement while councillors were discussing whether to postpone an on-site community consultation meeting planned to be held at the park on Wednesday afternoon,
They decided to do so as storms had been forecast – although Cr Jane Erkens joked that by postponing the meeting, council was ensuring the rain wouldn’t happen.
A new date is expected to be announced soon.
Related articles:
- Council Debates Park’s Future
- St John’s Gets Licence For Park
- Adermann Park: Round 2 Begins?
- Tribunal Dismisses Latest Complaints
- Councillor Apologises But Still Defiant
- Councillor Adamant He Has Done Nothing Wrong
- Councillor Ordered To Pay $1000 Fine
- School Accepts Parkland Purchase Price
- Park Sale ‘Disgraceful’
- State Approves Sale Of Park To School
- Park Petition Given To Council
- St John’s Launches Its Own Petition
- Petition Launched To Stop Park Sale
- Community To Be Invited To Have A Say On Park’s Future
- State To Decide On Park Sale
- Greens Spokesman Says Public Consultation ‘Inadequate’
- Council Supports Purchase Of Parkland
- Principal Surprised By Reaction To Park Plan
- MP Supports School’s Expansion Plan
- Should Adermann Park Be Sold?
Refreshing to read Council’s CEO Mark Pitt clarify the Adermann Park discussion that had become a “social media circus”.
This clarification is appreciated. The action by Council is to ensure safety improvements in the general area of St John’s School and the immediate housing community and others who use this precinct at School drop-off and School pick-up times.
This is what Council should be doing, to identify problem traffic areas likely to cause accidents.
Well done to Council.
The park is part of the former Adermann farm. Quite properly, this land was named to honour Sir Charles as a mark of respect to the family by the developer, as a requirement of the development conditions.