Mayor’s column | Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce monthly newsletter
July 2023
Residents and community groups of the Springfield area – and surrounding eastern suburbs – have a unique opportunity to give their input into three parcels of land that council has earmarked for the benefit of the community. The blocks are located at 7004 Lakes Entrance Drive, Springfield (Lot 5003SP285008), 79 Sierra Drive, Spring Mountain (Lot 4007SP304382), and 12 Mount Juillerat Drive, Augustine Heights (Lot 33SP283508). These sites are currently vacant with no buildings or other improvements. The sites are not permitted to be used for commercial purposes. Council is inviting not-for profit incorporated community organisations to register their interest in the available land for community use. What is community use exactly? It could be artistic, social, cultural, sporting – such as recreation facilities or community support services and activities – anything that benefits the public. To register interest, visit council’s Shape Your Ipswich website before 23 July 2023.
E-scooter trial begins
Will e-scooters help get more people into shops and boost your business? Council is keen to hear your feedback on our six-month e-scooter trial that is set to launch on 8 July. E-scooter hire company, Beam, has signed on with council to deliver the pilot program with their latest fleet of top-of-the-range, safety-focused e-scooters. They will be available in Springfield Central, Spring Mountain and Springfield Lakes. It is always exciting to see new, ecofriendly options for transport come to our city and residents have been waiting eagerly for this trial to start. Council’s iGO Intelligent Transport Systems Strategy, adopted in 2019, sets out a roadmap for implementing new technology into our transport networks such as e-scooters. I was lucky enough to take one on a test drive and I was very impressed with the how safe and easy they are to use – and of course, very fun. They are a great way for residents to get about their suburbs quickly and easily without having to rely on cars or public transport.
Major road upgrades ahead of schedule
Residents in the greater Springfield area will be driving on four lanes on the Springfield Parkway and Springfield Greenbank Arterial sooner than anticipated, with final works on the project getting underway. Works are ahead of schedule – a traffic switch in the last week of June significantly altered how residents drive through and around this major upgrade, including changing access to Escarpment Drive. While we understand these temporary changes will be inconvenient for local residents, the change could save at least eight weeks on project construction, meaning motorists will be reaping the benefits of the upgrade sooner. This is council’s biggest ever road project and it received another $23.7 million in the 2023-24 Budget to progress Stages 1 and 3. It is good to see work advancing swiftly on these critical road works.
Chess tables at Robelle Domain
A great city means having great community and I think the addition of new chess tables at Robelle Domain illustrate this perfectly. Having an outdoor area where people can meet and play is important in cultivating and maintaining relationships. The older can mentor the younger, the younger inspire the older, and everyone engages with each other in public spaces. It’s what makes a city liveable and attractive. Many major cities in the world are famous for their public chess tables, such as New York’s Washington Square Park and the Chess & Checkers House in Central Park and this is just Ipswich’s opening move. I know we already have a junior state champion in chess from Springfield and I hope we see many more in the future. Also, thanks to Springfield Chess Club President, Ed Cubilla, for working with council to bring this idea to fruition.