Toowoomba council rejects fast-track of $50k New Zealand garden at Lake Annand Park
Councillors have rejected a proposal to speed up the delivery of a special New Zealand-themed garden inside one of Toowoomba’s most popular parks.
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A plan to fast-track the creation of a $50,000 New Zealand-themed garden at one of Toowoomba’s most popular parks has been killed by the council.
Councillors voted at last week’s committee meetings against a recommendation from its officers to move ahead with detailed designs improvement to Lake Annand in Rangeville, which would include an “enhanced New Zealand-themed garden” with interpretative signage, artwork and planting areas.
The move came following mayor Paul Antonio’s trip to Toowoomba’s sister city Whanganui in March, which cost him and officer Jane Morey about $6400 to attend.
A New Zealand garden within Lake Annand was identified and adopted by the council as part of the master plan for the East Creek Linear Corridor — in a section that is “currently unfunded”.
Such improvements along with others could cost a minimum of between $50,000 to $200,000, depending on the scope of the works.
Economic development principal Tony Bowman argued moving ahead with project would cement Toowoomba’s relationship with Whanganui, which is planning its own garden with vegetation and themes from our region.
But councillor James O’Shea and a number of his colleagues considered it “putting the cart before the horse”.
“I’m not opposed to it but I feel like I’m being asked to do something earlier than it is expected,” he said.
As a result, the items in the motion relating to a New Zealand-themed garden were scrapped by eight of the 10 councillors.
Only mayor Paul Antonio and councillor Carol Taylor did not support removing the items.
Among discussions with its New Zealand counterparts, Mr Antonio said the council was exploring how it could replicate Whanganui’s regular hosting of the Masters Games.
This was supported by councillor Nancy Sommerfield, who she’d raise the matter years prior.
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