Island’s reservoir roof remains on council’s list of unfinished projects

The $1.5m refurbishment of a Magnetic Island reservoir is still only half-finished — 10 months after its crumbling roof was flagged before the council election. Find out what other projects are still incomplete.

An aerial photo previously of the Picnic Bay Reservoir which has had a damaged roof. A council document said the $1.5m project was 45 per cent complete, and procurement for the construction was ongoing despite it being identified as a concern in March.

The $1.5m refurbishment of a Magnetic Island water reservoir is only half completed despite the deterioration of its roof being identified in the lead-up to the local government election 10 months ago.

The Picnic Bay Reservoir Renewal has been included in a quarterly update of ongoing capital works projects under completion by the Townsville City Council.

While the council has completed several projects, such as its $500,000 Strand jetty shade structure and its Harold Phillips Skatepark, 18 major projects, mostly involving roads, waste and water infrastructure, are only partially completed, which are worth a total of $45m in ratepayer and taxpayer funding.

The incompletion of the reservoir is a sore point for former Division 3 political candidate Alan Sheret, who showed drone footage of patchy completion of the roof during his unsuccessful election campaign in March.

Eight months later the reservoir’s damaged roof is identified as 45 per cent complete, with procurement of the project yet to be completed.

Former political candidate and once Magnetic Island resident Alan Sheret has slammed council over delays to the $1.5m reservoir roof repairs. Picture: Evan Morgan

Mr Sheret, who grew up on Magnetic Island and has taken interest in the community’s interests such as the council’s actions against permanent residents living at a tourist resort, said the council was still not prioritising the key issues significant to their communities, such as clean drinkable water.

“It’s been damaged for many years mate,” Mr Sheret said.

A map of the capital projects that are underway in the Townsville Local Government Area.

“It was only because a bloke had concerns himself with regards to the drinking water and flew a drone up there.

“And those were the images of the hole in the roof that we saw.”

Mr Sheret said while council representatives said there had been work completed on the roof, the work did not appear adequately completed.

“Not even kids from primary school would do such a dodgy job,” he said.

Originally published as Island’s reservoir roof remains on council’s list of unfinished projects