Major Gympie CBD project fails in bid for funding

Council forced to look at other options for long-awaited project.

The long-awaited Gympie Transit Centre is going to wait a bit longer to materialise with the council failing to secure Federal Government funding for the project. Picture: Troy Jegers

A BID to secure $800,000 in Federal Government funding for a CBD transit centre has fallen through, putting the brakes on the long-awaited project.

Gympie Regional Council has revealed the unsuccessful bid in this month's quarterly report, which is being endorsed by councillors at today's meeting.

The funding was to cover half the cost of the $1.6 million project, and leaves the council to seek other funding opportunities for the project "as they arise”.

Plan for the new transit centre in Gympie. Picture: Contributed

Further up the road, the much debated Upper Mary St revitalisation first planned to start in February may not be finished before Christmas.

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Traders reportedly "do not want construction in the two weeks before Christmas”.

A contract for the work was awarded last month after several false starts.

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However all of the tenders considered by the council were over budget, forcing changes to the extent of the work.

This includes the road resurfacing being stripped from the upgrade, and a lower number of seats and bins being installed.

The impending Gympie Bypass has also caused the plug to be pulled on upgrades planned for the Visitor Information Centre at Lake Alford. The site's future is now being reassessed by the council.

A planned shortening of the Kybong airport's runway has also been shown the stop sign "given new direction by council for further work around aerodrome strategy”.