Living in the Shires Article
Local magazine Living in the Shires published a very interesting story on the Graceville SCIP Launch that occurred on Sunday. Please click on the below link to view the article.
July 2016 Graceville Shopping Centre Launch
After a year of planning and construction the Graceville Honour Ave SCIP is now complete.
Works included new footpaths, landscaping, pedestrian refuges, history panels, street furniture, seating and very unusual artwork on the corner of Bank Rd and Honour Ave that I suspect will be a talking point for years to come!
I want to thank you for your patience during what has been a difficult build resulting is some disruption to the shopping precinct and surrounding homes. While I do not agree with everything Council has done, it is time to put aside those issues and celebrate the re-launch of our wonderful local shops and services.
The Honour Ave/Bank Rd precinct is a food and entertainment hub in our neighbourhood and we are blessed to have such great local businesses in our area. To keep them we need to support them!
Join me on Sunday, 17 July for a special ‘Sunday Lunch’ from 12 noon to re-discover all the precinct has to offer. The street party will include live entertainment, food and music for the whole family. I look forward to seeing you there.
To all those who signed the petition to improve access and safety to the indented car parking I want to say thank you. While I had hoped Council would widen the indented area, they have widened the bays. This is still a huge improvement and we achieved a great outcome by speaking up as a community.
June 2016 Parking Petition Update
Thank you to those who let me know that Cr Simmonds had written to you regarding the SCIP. It seems that our efforts as a community have been heard!
On the face of it, the letter seems like good news, as the bays will be widened. However, I suspect the devil is in the detail.
Both the petition and my correspondence to Cr Simmonds were clear that our community is calling on Council to widen the indented car parking spaces (first sentence of the petition) and the width of the marked bays from 2.4m to 2.7m (second sentence of the petition). The attached letter, sent to Cr Simmonds prior to the petition being tabled, also raises a number of issues, which he has not responded to.
At this stage, it is not clear if Cr Simmonds is only widening the marked car spaces and not the indented bays themselves.
What is also unclear is which bays he is planning to remark – Bank Rd or Bank Rd and Honour Ave as per the petition?
Widening the spaces is a great outcome, as we will be able to hop in and out of our cars more safely and easily. However, widening the indented bays will ensure we do not lose any car spaces overall, resulting in the best possible outcome. I am seeking to clarify this with Cr Simmonds as a matter of urgency.
In my view good policy and practical outcome should be the result of careful consultation and adjustment where needed.
It seems we are on the way to a good outcome but I really want it to be a great outcome for our community.
Thank you again for all your efforts and help in pushing for a better parking solution for our wonderful local shops. Please keep supporting the traders who have been dealing with the double impact of the SCIP and rail station construction. Without them I suspect we would be all very hungry and bored!
Cr Simmonds Response to Nicole regarding SCIP Parking Petition
Nicole’s Reply to Cr Simmonds regarding SCIP Parking Petition
April 2016 Update – Parking Petition
Over the past few weeks many residents have spoken with me about safety and access concerns with the new car parking arrangements at the Graceville SCIP. In particular, the width and angles of the indented spaces in Bank Road and Honour Avenue. Council made these changes without consulting me or the business owners and traders about the parking specifications.
For the past few weeks, I have been working with Council to make the changes based on the feedback I have received to date. Council has refused to do so, saying the traders support the current arrangements. You can read their response below. This is certainly not the feedback I have had from them. Like me, they are concerned about access and manoeuvrability and want to ensure it is safe and convenient for shoppers.
As your spokesperson to Council, I have drafted a petition that you can download below calling on Council to widen the spaces and to change the hours to allow night time parking. We need to speak up as a community to let Council know that the current arrangements are not working and need to be changed.
Everyone wants the SCIP to succeed, but it will be pointless if people cannot conveniently and safely access our popular local shops.
To discuss this further, I will be holding a public meeting outside Graceville Superior Fruit on Bank Road on Wednesday, 11 May between 6pm – 7pm. Peter will remain open during this time.
If you could sign the petition and ask your friends and neighbours to sign the petition, and return it to me by email here (a scan or photo is sufficient), or post your form to Tennyson Ward Office PO Box 6438 Fairfield QLD 4103 by Friday, 13 May 2016. Copies will be available at shops within the precinct as well.
With your help, and a strong combined voice, I know we can convince Council to make these improvements.
Parking Petition – Word Document
Parking Petition – PDF Document
Council’s Response to Nicole’s Calls for Parking Changes
Chief Executive Officer, Council’s Response to Nicole’s Parking Concerns
Council’s Response to Parking Concerns
A local resident recently measured the width of the spaces in response to Council’s parking flyer. He found that the spaces are only 2.4m wide, not 2.5m wide as per the flyer above. Council simply have ignored our concerns to date. Thanks Phil for fact checking Council’s claims.
February 2016 Update
Brisbane City Council’s $3.75 million Graceville SCIP is well underway. Currently, Council are undertaking major structural works, which are noisy and invasive. I thank everyone for their patience and continued support for our wonderful local shops.
Works are being done progressively through the precinct to minimise disruption on our local shop keepers. To date, new kerb and channel, new footpaths, garbage bins and realignment of indented car parking has been completed. The next phase of works includes installation of the public artwork, new seating, more new footpaths, pedestrian refuges and major landscaping.
While the official opening of the new SCIP will take place in mid-2016, shop access and trading hours will not be effected. Some disruptions may occur, but please keep supporting our local shops.
October 2015 Update
After much anticipation, Brisbane City Council is at last breathing life back into the shopping centre strip along Honour Avenue. Through Council’s Honour Avenue Graceville Suburban Centre Improvement Project (SCIP) $3.75 million worth of streetscape improvements will take place between Mortlake Road and Wylie Street.
The improvements will include new street trees, garden beds, seating, artwork and footpath upgrades that will not only increase foot traffic for local business, but also make this area much more attractive. The improvements will also include the introduction of artworks including a whimsical and interactive sculpture by local artist Russell Anderson and two ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ by community artist Deb Mostert.
Construction will occur in stages and take approximately six months. However, shop access and trading hours will not be effected, with Council working to minimise any disruption to businesses and residents within the precinct.
While the official opening of the new SCIP will take place in mid-2016, I will be holding a free morning tea to celebrate the launch of construction on Thursday 22 October. Please join myself and Neighbourhood Planning and Development Assessment Committee Chairman Councillor Amanda Cooper between 10am and 12pm at the corner of Honour Avenue and Bank Street, Graceville to celebrate the launch and discuss the project.
If you wish to view the final construction plans, large scale copies will be on display during my morning tea as well as at my office, Graceville Superior Fruit, Honour Espresso, Three Girls Skipping and Bar None. A copy is also on display below.
For a copy of the SCIP flyer, please click the following link: Graceville SCIP
June 2015 Update
The Graceville SCIP is well underway and Council will undertake design, consultation and construction of this project from early 2015 to mid-2016.
A big thank you to the business owners who are contributing 10% of the upgrade costs.
The three key objectives of the upgrade are to create shady public spaces, enhance existing character and to create safe, accessible footpaths, parking and public transport facilities.
Streetscape improvements will include footpaths, street trees, garden beds, seating, bins, bicycle racks and both feature and community artwork.
Click the link to find out more about the Graceville SCIP Art Workshops.
A community planning team comprising of local residents, businesses and groups is currently meeting to plan and prioritise the works.
Below is a draft concept plan of the streetscape.
In April 2014, Brisbane City Council proposed a new Suburban Centre Improvement Project (SCIP) for the Honour Avenue shopping strip in Granville.
As a majority of the property owners supported the proposal and funding partnership, Council is excited to be able to now commence this $3.75million upgrade. Council will undertake design, consultation and construction of this streetscape improvement project from early 2015 to mid-2016. Streetscape improvements will include new sections of pavement, street trees, garden beds, seating, bins, bicycle racks and integrated artwork.