Western Downs Regional Council unveil draft designs for Thomas Jack Park cultural centre precinct

Western Downs Regional Council has unveiled their new plans for the contentious TJ Park precinct. Take a look at the designs here.

Western Downs Regional Council has released concept designs for their planned cultural centre precinct set to be built at Thomas Jack Park in Dalby. Photo: WDRC.

After months of consultation and controversy Western Downs Regional Council has unveiled their draft designs for the Thomas Jack Park cultural centre.

The draft includes a multipurpose cinema, visitor information centre, art gallery, library alongside outdoor play and recreation areas.

It comes after four rounds of public consultation, and has resulted in a concept that has a building footprint of 2500sq m, leaving 90 per cent of Thomas Jack Park as green space.

Western Downs Regional Council mayor Andrew Smith said in a press release that council was working with landscape designers to “minimise any loss of trees and ensure a net gain of trees and shade from foliage through the planting of new trees, gardens and landscaping”.

Western Downs Regional Council has released concept designs for their planned cultural centre precinct set to be built at Thomas Jack Park in Dalby. Photo: WDRC.

Mr Smith said the designers had worked with the community to create a concept that “celebrates Dalby as the gateway to the Western Downs”.

“Council is excited to be sharing these initial ideas for the future of Thomas Jack Park Precinct by launching the next round of community consultation so we can hear community feedback on the draft concept design,” he said.

Western Downs Regional Council has released concept designs for their planned cultural centre precinct set to be built at Thomas Jack Park in Dalby. Photo: WDRC.

One of the biggest concerns presented to council throughout the consultation process included the issue of parking and loss of trees and Mr Smith said they had enlisted traffic engineers to undertake an assessment of the site.

“We heard in our last round of consultation that our community was generally not in favour of having provisions for carparking within the park itself,” he said.

“External traffic engineers have undertaken a preliminary assessment of the parking required to accommodate the draft concept design and have advised there is sufficient parking for the site based on the draft concept scheme.

“There are more than 160 carparking spaces available which means the cultural centre development can be accommodated within the proposed on-street provisions.”

Western Downs Regional Council has released concept designs for their planned cultural centre precinct set to be built at Thomas Jack Park in Dalby. Photo: WDRC.

Mr Smith said throughout October council would undertake a new round of consultation and encouraged people to have their say.

“The community have told us they wanted a parkland experience where the trees, gardens and greenspaces integrate with buildings and play structures, and our designers have put forward a great draft that the community now has a chance to consider and provide valuable feedback on,” he said.

“Now, more than ever, I encourage the Dalby community and residents from all across the region to jump online to check out the draft concept scheme or head to one of our face-to-face pop up booths at Dalby Shopping World to share thoughts and feedback.”

The draft can be viewed online at www.haveyoursay.wdrc.qld.gov.au or in person at one of council’s upcoming public consultation pop-up stalls at Dalby Shopping World.

Originally published as Western Downs Regional Council unveil draft designs for Thomas Jack Park cultural centre precinct