Brisbane Parks Cost $93 million
17 June, 2009
Brisbane is to get its next great recreational parkland with work to begin on the Karawatha Forest Environment Centre.
The centre will be built over the next three years in the middle of the 900ha Karawatha Forest, at a cost of $17 million. In addition, over $2.5 million would be spent on park upgrades at neighbourhood parks right across the city.
More than $1.6 million will be spent over four years upgrading park shelters and $295,000 will be spent refurbishing nine major dog off-leash areas.
Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said the Karawatha project would be a “significant southside environmental park for people who want to enjoy nature-based pursuits”
The park will be the jewel in the crown of the Can-Do team, which spends about $93 million a year maintaining and improving Brisbane’s parklands.
“I want to make this area the next big thing for families, with an environment to rival South Bank in terms of social gatherings,” Cr Newman said.
“We have over 2000 parks within the Brisbane City Council boundaries, including almost 6000 hectares in urban parks. We want to keep them at a high standard.”
Council is also spending $5 million on foreshore enhancements at Brighton and Lota over three years.
That investment followed $24 million spent on waterfront parklands in Sandgate, Shorncliffe, Wynnum and Manly.
“We have established trees, shade structures, playgrounds and drinking fountains,” he said.
“Council is determined to build family friendly attractions that also protect the environment.”
Another major environmental project is the revitalisation of the Dowse Lagoon at Sandgate, at a cost of $1 million over two years.
Existing parks will be mowed up to 16 times a year through the Lord Mayor’s Neighbourhood Plus: Additional Parks Grass Cuts program, to which Cr Newman has allocated $7.27 million over the next four years.
The Lord Mayor has also allocated $872,000 to for key park upgrades at Mt Coot-tha Reserve ($300,000), Bulimba Riverside Park ($192,000), River Terrace Park at Kangaroo Point ($130,000), Rocks Riverside Park at Seventeen Mile Rocks ($110,000), New Farm Park ($100,000) and the City Botanic Gardens ($40,000).
[Ends] June 17, 2009
