January | Mayor’s message to the business community

Welcome to 2023 and I want to take this opportunity to wish you well in your endeavours for this year.

We continue to operate in challenging and uncertain times but council is committed to exploring new and innovative ways to support and advance our local businesses.

Most recently, council adopted its new Economic Development Strategy aimed at growing our city’s economy sustainably. It outlines council’s role in driving local investment and ensuring we can attract and retain diverse and high value jobs for current and future generations.

We were delighted to be able to collaborate with the business, property, government and education sectors in creating our economic blueprint.

The new Economic Development Strategy 2023-2027 aims to deliver:

• 11,500 new jobs by 2027
• $6.5b economic growth by 2027
• Ipswich positioned and promoted as a destination of choice to invest, live, learn, work and play
• Ensure Ipswich City Council and local businesses are well connected and engaged.

New road will soon open

Thank you to the residents and businesses of Springfield for their patience and understanding as council undertakes one of its largest ever road projects.

Springfield Parkway and Springfield Greenbank Arterial are being expanded from two to four lanes to support the city’s growing population.

The newly completed section on the Springfield Greenbank Arterial Road will be opened for use in late January.

Traffic travelling from Eden Station Drive towards Springfield Parkway (opposite Hymba Yumba Independent School) will be switched over to the new road alignment and work will then commence on upgrading the current road surface.

Traffic switches will also occur along Springfield Parkway (from Springfield Lakes Boulevard towards the Springfield Parkway roundabout) with staged switching of pedestrian shared pathways, in coming months.

There will be changed traffic conditions at the entrance and exits to the Escarpment Drive estate. Access into Escarpment Drive estate will be via Springfield Parkway.

The Centenary Highway off-ramp will be reduced to one lane for about eight months to widen lanes.

We thank the Queensland Government, through the Transport Infrastructure Development Scheme (TIDS), for supporting council in delivering these critical upgrades.

Redbank Plains Road Upgrade update

Construction works on the new road alignment are continuing with water main relocations, construction of kerb and channel, subgrade treatment and gravel seal being completed in preparation for asphalt works this month.

The Highbury Road intersection with Redbank Plains Road will remain closed with existing vehicle and pedestrian diversions remaining in place to facilitate asphalting works for the entire section planned this month. This will allow for a traffic switch onto the new roadway in the first quarter of 2023.

Asphalt laying has been planned to start on the outbound lanes from Argyle Street intersection towards Barry Drive this month. The longer corridor for the laying of asphalt will allow for traffic to be moved onto the newly paved road and will assist in refurbishing the existing road lanes in January and February.

Brighton Homes Arena officially opened

Council was delighted to welcome 7,412 AFL fans to the brand new Brighton Homes Arena last month for the 2022 NAB AFL Women’s Grand Final.

While it may have not been the result we were hoping for, the excitement was palpable on the day and it was an amazing way to officially open the new stadium at Springfield Central.

With the completion of the construction, our fast-growing city can now boast its first national-level sporting team in the champion Lions AFLW team, and a brand-new multi-purpose training facility for both men and women – which is a game-changer for sport and our community.

Council is proud to have made a significant funding contribution, approximately $20 million to this $80 million project, which sets a new benchmark for women’s sport both in the AFL and across football codes nationally.

The stadium is a council-owned asset, and now has a wonderful long-term tenant in the Brisbane Lions.

Placing sport at the heart of community, council decided to embark on this project alongside the Lions, State and Federal governments, and it was amazing to see the finished stadium after the first sod was turned in May 2021.

Help steer City of Ipswich Transport Plan

Council is asking the community to share their views on the region’s transport network as part of a major review of Ipswich City Council’s City of Ipswich Transport Plan, iGO.

We want to hear from all sectors of our community about how they interact with and experience our city’s transport system and accompanying facilities and infrastructure.

Sharing these experiences and ideas will help council in updating iGO and to ensure our strategic long-term plan is in line with community needs and expectations.

Council is not responsible for all parts of the Ipswich transport network, such as public transport services, but it does play a leading role in the planning and delivery of some elements as well as encouraging other levels of government to do their fair share for our growing city.

The next pop-up community consultation stall for iGO will be held on 17 January 2023, 2pm to 5pm at IGA Springfield Lakes, shop 22/31 Springfield Lakes Boulevard, Springfield Lakes.

The online survey is available until 1 February 2023 at ShapeYourIpswich.com.au

An updated version of iGO is expected to be released in 2024.