ONE of the major problems this city faces is the duplication of services offered by several infrastructure projects that have been built over the years.
Those that come quickly to mind are the library, Main Corner and Lady Nelson Information Tourism Centre.
The Lady Nelson centre was built back in the 1970s to provide an area where tourists could park caravans off the main highway to obtain information they needed.
Then came the library, followed quickly on its heels by the Main Corner.
It was the fourth library in 40 years and history shows council struggled before they finally got it right.
But when it came to finding a purpose or reason for having the Main Corner upgraded, the idea was born to have tourist information available for visitors.
Of course this would apply mainly to the walking traffic because there was nowhere to park large four-wheel drive vehicles pulling caravans.
It heralded a duplication of services which seems to be endemic with new city projects.
It was planning on-the-run.
When the rail land was first mooted and trying to find a use for it, there was much debate about a bus terminal being housed there but City Council was correct in its belief it be built at the Lady Nelson site.
A Queensland company won the tender for $250,000 and that caused some debate, but to be fair to council the Queensland tender was many thousands of dollars under any local tender.
When the project was finished it did not end the controversy, with its sails design and virtually no shelter for bus patrons from the southerly winds.
There was also the argument it was too far out of the CBD for bus patrons, especially visitors, to walk to accommodation destinations.
The bus terminal and tourist information centre debate has been reignited by two candidates for the City Council election, Ben Hood and Max Bruins.
They have come up with a plan to make better use of the rail land by restoring the old railway station and turning it into a visitor information centre.
The plan would also incorporate a transport or bus terminal.
The two men are correct in the land has its “dead space” areas and for an area so perfectly placed in the inner sanctum of the CBD, it needs to be utilised better.
Before going any further two things need to be stated.
Firstly, it is refreshing to hear from two people who have ideas about the future of the city and are prepared to stand for council; secondly, City Council would love nothing better than to relocate the tourist information centre from its present position.
But this is the problem, it is widely understood council would prefer to move the tourist centre to the Main Corner, thereby giving the front foyer a reason for being there and increase traffic.
However, with Messrs Hood and Bruins plan it again raises the argument this city is guilty of duplicating services and wasting money on infrastructure projects by replacing them several years later.
Ratepayers spent $250,000 six years ago building a terminal and paid out huge money to renovate the Lady Nelson ship which remains a disappointment for both residents and tourists.
Of course the ship can be transferred to the rail land but how much patronage does the bus service get and does it warrant relocating the terminal and how will it look with caravans parked in the middle of the rail land?
Four-wheel drives, caravans and families with children playing on the rail land do not mix and also have the bus lines been asked if they want to move?
The sale of the Lady Nelson land might allow ratepayers to recoup the money it spent on the terminal but there needs to be some careful and serious thought given to this.
Any idea to rejuvenate the rail land needs to be investigated so whatever is done needs to be part of a long term strategy and the city is not lumbered with another costly project which duplicates services we already have.
