Geon unveils Chipmunks Playground and Cafe and The Rook for Idalia
Townsville parents will soon have another entertainment option for the kids at a fast-growing activity hub.
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Much to the delight of North Queensland families, Chipmunks Playground and Cafe is making a comeback in Townsville, after it was announced to be joining the fast-growing activity hub in Idalia’s Fairfield and Co centre.
Developed, owned, and managed by Queensland-based property group GEON since its conception in 2015, Fairfield and Co is a $125m mixed-use retail and lifestyle precinct, located on Darcy Drive, Idala.
The centre has reached its $21.5m fourth stage in its delivery, with Fish N Flips Swim School, Fitstop, Explore The Movement, Urban Climb, and X-Golf have already moved in.
The next section will host a Chipmunks Indoor Playground, alongside a new event space called The Rook – a name that nods to the castle piece in chess and Townsville’s Castle Hill.
Geon executive director Ben Griffin was looking forward to seeing construction commence soon on the buildings, which will be located opposite Geon’s planned build-to-rent twin 12-storey apartment towers.
“On the sixth of June, we will start construction of Stage 4B, which is adjacent to Urban Climb, where there’s a vacant space,” Mr Griffin said.
“Chipmunks are coming back to Townsville, this time under new management, new ownership of the brand. It’s a really exciting, great looking brand, and that will provide a whole different range of options, particularly for mums, dads and young ones, to be able to go.
“It’s an 800 square metre tenancy where their kids can play and be stimulated, and it’ll work for parties and other things as well.”
Chipmunks first opened in Townsville 10 years ago, before the owners parted ways with the franchise and rebranded as Playtime Adventure Land and Cafe four years ago.
Mr Griffin said they were just finishing up the design for The Rook, which looked “fantastic”.
“It’s a sawtooth roof configuration with a lot of glass, so it’ll have an inside-outside feel, but it will be airconditioned so (visitors) can be sitting in comfort, and it will have multiplicity different uses … as part of one tenancy,” he said.
“It will seat 300 people, so it can be used for weddings, corporate training, and staff training. It’ll have a cafe … a coffee roastery … and a detached bottle shop focusing on an upper end wine selection, for those who are more discerning.”
He said The Rook would be fully licensed, also serving up fine dining meals, with a particular emphasis on live music.
“It will give us the beating heart and the soul that we’ve been missing at Fairfield and Co, right in the middle of the action,” he said.
Mr Griffin planned to attend Townsville City Council’s meeting on Wednesday, when a decision was expected to be made by councillors regarding the approval of Fairfield and Co’s build-to-rent apartment project, which promises to be the city’s largest construction project since Ardo.
For more information, visit: geonproperty.com.au.
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Originally published as Geon unveils Chipmunks Playground and Cafe and The Rook for Idalia
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