Council chooses company to design library, admin building

Hervey Bay’s new library and council administration building will be designed by an award-winning national architecture firm

The Fraser Coast Regional Council voted unanimously on Wednesday to architecture firm Group GSA.

Hervey Bay’s new library and council administration building will be designed by an award-winning national architecture firm.

The Fraser Coast Regional Council voted unanimously at a special meeting on Wednesday to appoint architecture firm Group GSA.

Assistant Minister Regional Development and Territories Nola Marino said the new library and new administration building would be iconic spaces to revitalise the Pialba town centre and create a community hub as part of the Hinkler Regional Deal.

“The Australian Government is partnering with Fraser Coast Regional Council to deliver a new project that aims to breathe new life and opportunities into the Pialba Town Centre,” Assistant Minister Marino said.

“The Hinkler Regional Deal provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a city heart for Hervey Bay and make the Pialba Town Centre a cultural and creative drawcard offering diverse food, dining, social and shopping experiences.

“A thriving city centre is crucial to local community life, and I am pleased that the Australian Government and Fraser Coast Regional Council are collaborating on such a significant opportunity for regional growth.”

Federal Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt said he was excited to see such an important step towards the creation of construction jobs in the area, as well as an emerging city centre.

“The commitment to the redevelopment of the Hervey Bay City Centre is a crucial component of the Hinkler Regional Deal that will drive further growth and opportunities in the precinct,” Mr Pitt said.

“This successful appointment is another step towards supporting the people of the Fraser Coast with the facilities needed for a prosperous region that continues to attract people to the area with great lifestyle benefits.

“As the Hinkler Regional Deal progresses, this commitment to a revitalised city centre will support local growth as well as encouraging new people to the region.”

Fraser Coast Regional Council Mayor George Seymour said the awarding of the $1.2 million contract to Group GSA was a significant step in the progression of the Pialba Town Centre Revitalisation.

“The new council administration building will mean better alignment of Council services, which are currently scattered across dozens of locations, and that in turn means better efficiencies for the Fraser Coast community,” Cr Seymour said.

“Providing frontline customer services, the new facilities will be a central civic hub where individuals, professionals, couples and families can come to learn, network, socialise and benefit from Council services in Pialba.

“Having Group GSA on board as the architect will help council develop a world-class precinct.”

A Disaster Resilience Centre will also be included in the design for the administration building.

Cr Seymour said while the decision was an important step towards delivering the Pialba Town Centre Revitalisation project, there was still a lot of work to do before any construction occurred.

“The revitalisation of the Pialba Town Centre is a community-shaping opportunity that will significantly enhance the heart of the town and the quality of local life for generations to come, so we want to make sure we get it right,” he said.

“There will be extensive stakeholder and community engagement throughout the process, with consultation on a new Pialba Town Centre Master Plan expected to start within weeks.

“There will also be significant work done preparing a transport and traffic management strategy to identify key transport infrastructure upgrades and develop travel solutions as we build a better town centre and civic precinct in Hervey Bay.”

The Hinkler Regional Deal for the Bundaberg-Hervey Bay region is an Australian Government initiative in partnership with the local councils that seeks to build on the area’s strengths to provide economic growth and long-term employment.

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