Development: 90 new carparks to boost tourist hotspot

Gladstone Regional Council will hold community engagement sessions next week to inform the community.

The works will provide an additional 90 carparks to the area and provide a footpath to access Tom Jeffery Park from the amended angled carparking along Jeffery Court.

GLADSTONE Regional Council will hold community engagement sessions at Agnes Water next week in order to inform the community about the upcoming construction of an overflow carpark.

The works at 5 Agnes Street will provide an additional 90 carparks to the area and provide a footpath to access Tom Jeffery Park from the amended angled carparking along Jeffery Court.

Council will host two pop-up stalls, on Monday 20 July and Wednesday 22 July, giving residents an opportunity to gain further understanding of the planned infrastructural works.

Gladstone Region Acting Mayor Kahn Goodluck said by visiting the pop-up stalls, residents would be given an opportunity to pose queries about the project to council, in order to better understand the reasoning behind the works and the expected results.

“The aim of these community engagement sessions is to inform the local residents about the planned works that will take place in Agnes Water in September 2020,” Cr Goodluck said.

“Substantial earthworks will be required to fill the site to allow for appropriate drainage of the carpark, but unfortunately this means all existing trees will need to be removed from the site otherwise they would die from the additional soil required around them.

“However, to offset this tree removal, Council will plant new trees that will grow to provide shade to the carpark and retain the visual amenity of the area.”

Cr Goodluck said that once finished, the carpark would provide better access to Agnes Water main beach and Tom Jeffery Park, while providing a considerable upgrade to parking spaces.

“The Agnes Water and Seventeen Seventy region is a hot spot for tourism in our region, and it’s vital that our infrastructure caters for visitors and locals alike,” he said.

“The existing carpark along Jeffery Court is often at capacity, even during off-peak times, so the addition of 90 carparks will help alleviate the bottleneck of vehicle traffic particularly during the holiday seasons.”

The two pop-up stalls will be held at Agnes Water Rural Transaction Centre on Monday July 20 from 9am to 11am and Wednesday July 22 from 2pm to 4pm at Tom Jeffery Park.