THE Ingham CBD revitalisation is set to come alive with the collaboration between council and James Cook University (JCU) to develop the master plan.
Staff and students from the JCU planning program along with council officers will develop the master plan that will be implemented to revitalise the CBD.
Hinchinbrook Shire Council Mayor Rodger Bow said the initial idea came from the Hinchinbrook Community Roundtable sessions where residents identified the need to revitalise the CBD.
“It became clear from residents that Hinchinbrook should encourage a relationship with JCU to encourage future opportunities to work together on projects to benefit the community and students,” Cr Bow said.
“The collaboration between council and JCU is a great opportunity for Hinchinbrook and the staff and students at JCU,” he said.
JCU will be creating a ‘Work Integrated Learning’ project to include both Planning and Civil Engineering students from Cairns and Townsville campuses.
JCU Lecturer Dr Lisa Law said the master planning exercise represents a wonderful opportunity for students to test out models of good urban design, but an even better opportunity to develop new models that work for us in FNQ.
“So much of the discussion around good design focuses on the large urban centres: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane,” Dr Law said.
“What we really need are designs that work at the regional scale, while at the same time creating an urban environment that reflects the region’s unique history and climate. Doing this well, and documenting it through this project, is an important step in that direction,” she said.
JCU Lecturer Dr Sharon Harwood said she was delighted that the Hinchinbrook Shire Council has the confidence in both the university and our adjunct architects to provide them with the opportunity to do the work with their students - some of whom are Ingham residents themselves.
The main focus of the project is to develop a plan to refresh the main streets to make them more attractive.
Consideration in the plan will be given for footpath treatments and street furniture ensuring long term availability of products.
The plan is set to create a vibrant and exciting main Street that includes Lannercost Street, part of Townsville Road to Tully Street; Herbert Street and Cartwright to Hardy Street.
Consultation for the project is expected to conclude in April, 2015, with a council general meeting being held to adopt the plan and approve works to be undertaken
Council allocated $30,000 for the plan and $300,000 to undertake works in the 2014-2015 budget.
