Myall107 redevelopment: Western Downs Regional Council to demolish cultural centre after major structural issues found
The $14 million redevelopment of Dalby’s MyALL107 has ended in disaster, with the Western Downs Regional Council making the decision to demolish the building after serious problems were uncovered. Full details here:
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The $14 million redevelopment of Dalby’s MyALL107 has come crashing down, with Western Downs Regional Council announcing on Wednesday the building will be demolished due to serious structural failings.
A stop work order was issued in mid-December after discoveries were made during construction, calling into question the structural integrity of the building and safety of the worksite.
A report was commissioned to investigate the extent of the structural issues, which found significant failings in the building‘s core foundations, walls, and roofing.
A council spokeswoman said $2.8 million has already been injected into the redevelopment, not including the cost of design.
Maranoa MP David Littleproud pledged $7 million in funding to upgrade of the cultural precinct in mid 2020, which was matched by the council.
The council spokeswoman said many of the structural defects would not have been found without stripping back the building, which was constructed in 1980 and has undergone several refurbishments.
Mayor Paul McVeigh said the council was left with no choice but to make the site safe and terminate the construction contract for the redevelopment.
“Council’s absolute priority is ensuring the site is made safe, which ultimately means the existing structure will have to be demolished,” he said.
“As the redevelopment was based on a refit of the existing structure, it would not be safe, feasible, or financially responsible to proceed with the current project, so council has acted swiftly to cancel the contract and prevent any further risk or cost to the community.”
The MyALL 107 Redevelopment Project involved a revitalisation of the current structure, which included upgrading the library and cinema and creating new indoor and outdoor recreational facilities for the community.
Cr McVeigh said while this was disappointing, it presented an opportunity to reconsider the project in its entirety and work with the community to come up with a solution that would suit Dalby and the wider Western Downs.
“Our only priority at this stage is ensuring the site is made safe, then any decisions about future possibilities for the site will be considered in partnership with the community,” he said.
“I can acknowledge the community may be disappointed the project cannot continue as planned, but I can assure residents that we will work with them to come up with an even better outcome for our region.”
FKG Group has started work to make the site safe, which is expected to take around two months.
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