Brisbane City Council releases design for Windsor park and carpark

Plans for a new park in a busy, major Queensland sports precinct have been released. The big question sporting groups want to know is will it have enough car parks? SEE THE DESIGN

A PROPOSED design for new parkland in a major Queensland sports precinct desperate for parking could benefit from a multistorey carpark, a major sporting group says.

The Brisbane City Council draft plan for the Windsor Sports and Community Park, within the Enoggera Creek Sport and Recreational Precinct, shows a wide open space for an informal sports lawn, a playground and a carpark.

The need for more car parks was the key issue sporting groups raised when council first resumed more land for the park earlier this year.

Downey Park Netball Association president Michelle Prado praised the new informal sports lawn in the plans but said it was unlikely the attached car park would be large enough to alleviate the parking problem.

Downey Park traffic madness on Saturday mornings. Picture: AAP/Renae Droop

She suggested the same space could be used for a three storey car park, and said people would be happy to pay up to $5 if they had a guaranteed spot.

“I’d like them to future plan so it will accommodate everyone’s needs for parking,” she said.

“I love the idea of green space and if they’re going to take up that much room in carparking (already) if they do a multistorey carpark you’re solving it in a different way.”

Ms Prado said up to 4500 netballers, from as far afield as Dalby, Tweed Heads and Hervey Bay, used the precinct every week plus hockey and softball players.

She said although the association had enough courts to host a major State Age Netball event, there was not enough parking to do so.

She added there was already an informal carpark on Northey St, opposite the future park, and that the council might be able to do something to increase the capacity of that car park.

A council spokeswoman said additional carparking would be “a key theme” of community consultation and parking would be a feature of the plan.

Downey Park Netball Association president Michelle Prado says there needs to be a long-term solution to parking problems in the major sports precinct. Picture: AAP/Renae Droop

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the council had been acquiring land for the parkland for the past 30 years as part of the voluntary buy back of flood-prone properties.

“The new park is being created as part of the Enoggera Creek Sport and Recreation Precinct Plan, which will guide future investment, development and management of this popular sport and recreation precinct over the next ten years and more,” he said.

Consultation is open until July 28 and there will be information kiosks on the design from 8-10am on 14 and 21 July at the Northey Street City Farm Organic Markets.

Construction on the Windsor Sports and Community Park is expected to commence in 2020.

The proposal was released as Environment Parks and Sustainability chair Fiona Hammond announced the council had purchased the final required property for the Rocklea Sports Park.

“The acquired land on Salisbury Street will enable the existing Short Street Park to expand into a new 3.6 hectare park for sports and recreation use,” she said.

“Council looks forward to working with the community to deliver new features for the park and will progress these plans in the 2019-20 financial year.”