Concerns over make-up of new Quarry Gardens committee

A COMMUNITY group supporting the planned Quarry Gardens has expressed concerns about the make-up of a council advisory committee for the project.

Bridge St quarry as seen from the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing. Friday, September 6, 2019.

A COMMUNITY group supporting the planned Quarry Gardens has expressed concerns about the make-up of a council advisory committee for the project.

Friends of the Quarry Gardens president Sarah Delahunty said she was worried about the level of representation of the Toowoomba Regional Council on the Bridge Street Quarry Development Advisory Committee, which was created by the TRC last month.

The committee will provide advice and suggestions to the project, which has $3.3 million assigned to it in the current council budget.

According to the terms of reference, the flexible 15-person committee will feature up to five councillors and up to four council staff as required, with the other spots made up of representatives from various stakeholder, tourism and business groups.

One spot is also reserved for a resident, who must live along Bridge St between Mackenzie and Dudley Sts and not be a member of any other group represented on the committee.

While she was excited to see the advisory body up and running, she was concerned about the number of voices that would be from the TRC.

"I think there's an over-representation of council on it," she said.

"The community groups are also not allowed a proxy (person) as well.

"For example, if the meetings are held at 9am on Tuesday, I won't be able to attend, because I work, so that means we won't have someone there.

"I don't want to see the (council numbers) reduced necessarily, but I want to see balanced representation.

"I'm really looking forward to when the first meeting is announced, and we can get in there and get a feel for whether the rest of the group has the same concerns."

Mayor Paul Antonio said the advisory committee would not vote on anything, and that the councillors would have the final decision on the direction of the project.

"An advisory committee is advisory - we are searching for ideas from the community and will then bring them to the council," he said.

"The reason there are so many councillors is it's an exciting project, and there are various portfolio responsibilities attached to it.

"(The Quarry Gardens) is very much part of the development of the escarpment."

Expressions of interest closed last week.

For the full terms of reference for the committee, head to the council website.