WATCH: Fraser Coast Council Community Hub reaches major milestone
The Fraser Coast Regional Council’s Community Hub is halfway done with construction as Mayor George Seymour takes a tour through the current site. VIDEO
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The Fraser Coast Regional Council’s Community Hub is halfway through construction, marking a step forward in revitalising the heart of Hervey Bay and centralising council services.
Located on the corner of Main St and Torquay Rd, Pialba, the Community Hub is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the city centre, create jobs, drive business investment, and deliver lasting benefits for residents of all ages, according to Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour.
“More than three-quarters of this development will be community space, including a new library, meeting rooms, creative areas, and places to learn, connect and relax,” he said.
“This will be a space for everyone, whether you’re studying, discovering new technology, attending a workshop, borrowing a book or just looking for a quiet place to read.”
Mr Seymour says local businesses have been integral to the hub’s construction, with $25m already being awarded to local companies.
“More than 17,000sq m of concrete have been poured so far, nearly 900 tonnes of steel reinforcement installed, and more than 39 tonnes of structural steel used to support large windows and open spaces,” he said.
“The biggest single concrete pour so far, covering more than 1,000sq m, forms part of the new library and will house areas such as a Makerspace, podcast rooms, a young adult zone, and study and tech spaces.”
The project has not been without controversy over its planning and development phases.
In 2022, then-Maryborough state MP Bruce Saunders nicknamed the hub the “Taj Mahal” after he predicted the project’s costs would blow out.
Mr Saunders was worried about the funding the hub received, while his Maryborough electorate would see no federal funding going towards “footpaths, guttering, and other basic council infrastructure”.
Features of the Community Hub include a modern two-level library, a council administration centre, a Disaster Resilience Centre, meeting rooms, and an outdoor public plaza.
It is being partly funded through $45m from the federal government’s Hinkler Regional Deal.
The building is expected to reach its full height by September, but a completion date is unknown.
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Originally published as WATCH: Fraser Coast Council Community Hub reaches major milestone
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