Fraser Coast council to vote on future of admin building, library

A ‘record petition’ will be tabled at Wednesday’s Fraser Coast council meeting where local leaders will decide whether to scrap current plans for its Maryborough headquarters and library. Here’s the alternative that will be pitched.

A record petition with 1859 signatures has been lodged with the council which is expected to decide on Wednesday whether to reconsider the location for its new administration building and library.

The petition had called on the council not to go ahead with plans to build in the low flood zone off Lennox Street at the site of its former Maryborough administration building.

Instead, community campaigners want the council to build the new centre in the inner city where it will assist with urban renewal.

The petition also calls on council to retain the library (which was to move to the new site from its current position in Bazaar Street) instead of creating another vacant building.

Community member Pat Davis, who led the objections to the plan and announced council should instead build a multi-level centre with offices above flood height, said the response had been overwhelming.

“We believe the previous record was about 560 signatures so we are talking about a powerful statement from the community,” he said.

“People have been eager to sign the petition mainly on four grounds – the deep flood area, the blocking of the City Hall view, the moving of the library, and they don’t want any more empty buildings in the inner city.”

Mr Davis said the petition would be presented to the council meeting on (Wednesday).

A motion will put three different options before council including refurbishing the existing Maryborough library, constructing an admin building for the Maryborough customer service and finance teams at 350 Kent Street (known as “The Hub”) and purchase of land within the Maryborough CBD for staff and public parking.

Councillor Daniel Sanderson will present the petition and is listed to move the motion at the meeting.

“This is a legacy building, once-in-a-lifetime project so I strongly believe we seek all available options before proceeding with construction,” Councillor Sanderson said.

“While my recent motion (which did not offer an alternative site) did not pass, I respect the decision of my fellow councillors and thank them for the opportunity to put my (new) proposal forward.

“This motion will allow council to consider whether we incorporate a new library with the new administration centre, or keep the existing site and transform this building space and shell to allow the site and building to become brand new again.

“These steps I believe will help us make a clear final decision where we build for our community and its people.”

A report will also outline the relative advantages and disadvantages and potential costs of the new proposal as an alternative to building a new combined library and admin building on the former Maryborough administration building site.

Chief petitioner Helen Outhwaite, owner of Mad Providore, said the group organising the petition was grateful the council had indicated it would consider another site.

“The people don’t want a new building there when so many properties within the inner city are vacant or underused. They want to keep the library where it is in Bazaar Street but want it upgraded with better parking.”