Camp Leslie not feasible to house region’s homeless as Southern Downs Regional Council returns to drawing board

The future of a dormant Southern Downs recreational facility remains undetermined as council’s social housing proposition comes to a halt.

The future of a dormant recreational facility at Leslie Dam remains hanging in the balance. Photo contributed

 

Southern Downs Regional Council’s admirable ploy to seek ownership of a dormant recreational facility to house the region’s vulnerable has come to an end.

The former YMCA recreational camp at Leslie Dam, owned by the state government, was set to be placed on the market earlier this year having sat dormant since operations ceased in 2020.

At the ordinary council meeting on April 19, a motion was put forward by councillor Joel Richters to pause the sale while council considered its position on the potential use of the facility.

It was later decided that council would write to the Department of Tourism and Sport requesting the Leslie Dam facility be transferred to council at no cost and asked the state government to provide funding to bring it up to the necessary condition, in order to avoid any cost to ratepayers.

Camp Leslie recreational site has sat dormant since YMCA Brisbane's lease ended in October 2020. Photo: Google Maps

A Southern Downs Regional Council spokesman previously told Warwick Daily News a business case would also be required in relation to the potential benefits and costs if council was to progress this initiative.

At the council meeting on October 16 it was revealed council had determined it was no longer in a position to commit financially to developing a business case for repurposing the facility for social housing.

In a statement to Warwick Daily News mayor Melissa Hamilton said following the state government election, council would again write to the Minister for Tourism and Sport about the Queensland government’s plans for the Leslie Dam facility.

“In the meantime, council is looking at a number of potential sites centrally located in our towns for potential affordable housing developments,” Ms Hamilton said.

The content summaries were created with the assistance of AI technology, then edited and approved for publication by an editor.

Originally published as Camp Leslie not feasible to house region’s homeless as Southern Downs Regional Council returns to drawing board