Groom MP to push for Toowoomba Regional Council’s Railway Parklands plan in SEQ City Deal

Toowoomba residents have been given a glimpse of what the city’s CBD may look like after a $65 million makeover. See the video of Toowoomba’s future.

FLYOVER: New concept video has been released for the $65m Railway Parklands project in the Toowoomba CBD.

A glimpse into the future of our city’s CBD has been revealed by Toowoomba Regional Council which shows the railway area re-imagined into luscious green spaces complete with walking paths, playgrounds and gardens.

The new flyover concept video released by council shows the scale of the Toowoomba Railway Parklands Project, which is estimated to cost $65 million to transform the unused land in the centre of the city.

The ambitious project, devised between Toowoomba council and the State Government, could be fast-tracked through the upcoming SEQ City Deal.

Groom MP Garth Hamilton revealed he would lobby Cities Minister Paul Fletcher to include funding for the major CBD project when the three-tier government funding deal was announced later this year.

The proposed precinct is the centrepiece of the 50-hectare priority development area, with the parklands to build on from the redevelopment of the Goods Shed to create walking paths, community facilities and green spaces.

Mr Hamilton said he had already had discussions with Mr Fletcher and his department.

“It’s very important Toowoomba’s CBD sees that investment and support and the Federal Government is willing to play its part in that,” he said on Wednesday.

“I want to make sure that Toowoomba gets that inner-city housing that it’s going to need to make sure it can support CBD growth in the future.

“My vision for the CBD is a thriving regional capital and a CBD that has business attracted to it, and inner city housing that supports that.”

Mayor Paul Antonio said federal and state funding for the project, in addition to the $15m the council will invest over the next four years, would be essential.

Speaking about the upcoming Railway Parklands project are (from left) Mayor Paul Antonio, Groom MP Garth Hamilton and Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce CEO Todd Rohl.

“You’ll see some amazing things happen in this area — we are unaware of this final funding outcome but it’s a good concept to push for on behalf of our federal member Garth,” he said.

“Council envisages that the parklands surrounding the railway goods shed will be developed in stages with timing subject to available funding support.

“The rest of the PDA will be developed by the private sector over the next 20 to 30 years with the parkland being a catalyst for that investment.

“Council’s longer-term vision is for an urban village to help cater for the projected population growth in coming decades, as outlined in our city centre master plan.”

Chamber of Commerce CEO Todd Rohl said any investment in the Toowoomba CBD should be supported.

“We see this project as a critical component to increasing traffic to the CBD and making it a destination,” he said.

“It does far more than that, it links other parts of the city together and brings the Garden City idea to the CBD.”