Maryborough Revitalisation

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  • Media Release - Demolition of Administration Building to start next week

    MEDIA RELEASE

    27 February 2020

    Demolition of admin building to start next week

    The demolition of the former Fraser Coast Regional Council administration building in Maryborough starts next Monday (2 March) and is due to be completed by the end of May.

    CEO Ken Diehm said an independent engineering report found the building at 431 Kent Street had reached the end of its working life and had to be demolished.

    “The report concluded that the 50-year-old building was unusable as it had a number of structural defects, required a new air-conditioning system and needed upgrades to the water supply and sanitary drainage, an overhaul of electrical systems and the removal of asbestos,” he said.

    “The building that housed the Maryborough Toy and Special Needs Library will also be demolished with the staff and toys relocated to within the Maryborough Library at the start of the year.

    “It’s pleasing that the relocation of the toy library has been embraced by the community with toy loans rising from an average of 46 per week to 75 a week since the move.”

    Director of Infrastructure Services Davendra Naidu said street revitalisation works in the Maryborough CBD were progressing well with the installation of underground infrastructure on the northern side of Kent Street complete, and footpath concrete pours now commencing.

    “Weather permitting, the concrete footpath works on the northern side of this project will be finalised before the start of the demolition of the administration building,” he said.

    “Works are also progressing on the southern side of Kent Street with the straightening of the City Hall stair columns and the remaining tie-in of the block retaining wall complete, which allows the brick façade retaining wall to commence.

    “These street revitalisation works, which have been part funded by the Queensland Government through the Building our Regions program, are scheduled for completion by early May.”

    Mr Diehm said a car parking area behind the old administration building had been barricaded off, and there would be no access to Kent Street or Adelaide Street via the fenced work area.

    “Council has insisted on a number of measures to minimise the impact of the building demolition work on the community, including no use of large hydraulic jack hammers, air quality monitoring and traffic control,” he said.

    “In addition, the finished site will be grassed to prevent erosion and sediment run-off to protect our waterways.

    “We recognise that this work will cause some inconvenience and we thank everyone in advance for their patience as the end result will be a better and brighter Maryborough CBD.”

    Mr Diehm said Council was committed to maintaining a presence in the Maryborough CBD and would develop a new administration centre and library on the same site.

    “The development of a new Maryborough administration centre will be a long process, with demolishing the old building the first step,” he said.

    “Council has started the concept design work and is conducting an accommodation review which will help determine the requirements for new administration centres in both Maryborough and Hervey Bay.

    “With both Maryborough and Hervey Bay libraries not having enough space to meet the needs of our growing population and to meet State Government public library grant requirements, we’re also looking to incorporate a new library facility into the Maryborough administration centre.”