Air of uncertainty remains among community as streetscape project comes to close
Residents are yet to be persuaded as to the practicality and accessibility of the recently completed CBD upgrades. See the completed works and council’s response here.
Stanthorpe
Don't miss out on the headlines from Stanthorpe. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Stanthorpe’s CBD beautification and street crossing upgrades have received mixed reviews from the community as the project wraps up.
A number of issues raised within the community relate to a lack of parking spaces, as well as parking and accessibility to the CBD for elderly residents and those living with a disability.
In April 2023 Southern Downs Regional Council revealed its plans for the long awaited Stanthorpe streetscape project aimed at managing the needs of locals, businesses and tourists “while still maintaining that special Stanthorpe feel”.
The upgrades come after a CBD parking study by RMA Engineers identified a number of parking and safety recommendations to cater for the predicted 9 per cent growth in Stanthorpe’s population.
A site visit was undertaken in May 2019 to assess the current parking situation within the CBD revealing a number of issues; the last survey was completed in 2012.
The study identified approximately 432 parking spaces within the CBD, highlighting the busiest streets were Maryland St from Railway to Folkestone St and Victoria St during the hours of 10am until noon.
It was identified in responses to the public survey by both business owners in the CBD and the wider community of a mutual concern over accessibility and parking for those with a disability.
At the time of the survey it was identified a total of six disability parks were available out of the 432.
Stanthorpe local James Massey OAM said the streetscape project had meant nine parking spaces were eliminated making the fight for a spot even harder.
“I don’t understand why they would eliminate the disabled parking space outside the doctors surgery,” Mr Massey said.
“(It seems) not a lot of thought or consideration was put into the streetscape plan for people who are disabled or aren’t able-bodied.
“A disability is not always visible, there might be a carer who is looking after someone with a vision impairment who needs to park close to where their appointment is.”
Mr Massey, now aged in his 70s, appreciates the difficulty of accessibility for those living with a disability, having grown up with a mother who suffered from polio.
A Southern Downs Regional Council spokesman said the newly raised pedestrian crossing in High St would create a safe and readily accessible crossing point for all.
“A new dedicated disabled parking bay has been incorporated in the design directly adjacent to the pedestrian crossing on the eastern side,” the SDRC spokesman said.
“This section of High St was previously without a dedicated disabled parking bay so it improves the amenities of the CBD.”
The SDRC spokesman said the significant slope of the road on the western side of the street meant it wasn’t possible to build a compliant disabled bay without removing existing parking bays or making other significant alterations.
“The construction of the disabled parking bay on the eastern side of High Street was considered the most viable option to provide direct access to the medical centre as well as businesses on both sides,” the SDRC spokesman said.
With the installation of the raised pedestrian crossing on July 4, final line marking works are expected to be undertaken next week.
An initiative by the Department of Transport and Main Roads to improve safety has additional works undertaken to transform existing pedestrian crossings directly adjacent to St Joseph’s School on both High and Corundum St.
A TMR spokesman said there were no plans in the works to install a set of traffic lights in Stanthorpe’s CBD.
More Coverage
Originally published as Air of uncertainty remains among community as streetscape project comes to close
“Killed my baby sister”: Teenage girl’s killer to walk the streets in less than two years
A young man will be released in just over a year after killing a teenage girl and endangering another in a reckless crash which severed a car in two.
Teen’s ‘breathtaking’ 100-offence spree, as youth court’s grim reality revealed
A 16-year-old’s “almost frenetic” crime spree is just one of the many eye-opening cases exposing the gravity of the state’s juvenile crime crisis, after the Queensland Children’s Court opened its doors under new laws.
Justice needs to be seen in Queensland, and soon
The maxim that ‘justice must not only be done, but must also be seen to be done’’ has never had more resonance than it did this week in Queensland. Even after a law change allowing media access to children’s courts, we still saw censored proceedings, writes the editor.
‘Could have killed him’: Teen guilty of brutal gang bashing
A court heard a man was walking down a street when a group of teenagers barrelled out of a stolen car, armed with metal rods, and attacked him in an attempt to steal his belongings.
Revealed: Where you can buy Australia’s best bacon
A humble butchery tucked away on a suburban street is producing Australia’s best bacon, according to a panel of expert meat eaters. Here is where you can find it.
Warwick’s next major development project revealed
Warwick is quickly becoming the commercial development capital of the southwest with a major industrial precinct hitting the market. Find out more here.