Mayor’s column | Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce monthly newsletter
June 2023
How will the greater Springfield area look in a few years? Do you know the zoning of a potential new property for your business? What about the places you play sports at? Those are just some of the questions we hope residents will ask themselves, and our town planners, as part of the city’s draft new planning scheme – Ipswich Plan 2024. There are significant changes in the draft scheme and we want the community to have a look and give us feedback. Consultation sessions will be held on 6 June, 2pm to 7pm at Redbank Plains Library and 8 June, 3pm to 8pm at Springfield Central Library. If you can’t make those, there will also be events on 13 June, 6pm to 9pm, at Goodna State School; 19 June, 6pm to 9pm, at Rosewood State School; and, 22 June, 6pm to 9pm, at Karalee State School. RSVPs are requested, but not essential, for council officers to understand numbers and to invite questions from the community. For more information, visit Shape Your Ipswich and look for New Ipswich Planning Scheme.
Australia Avenue now open in Springfield Central
Residents of the greater Springfield area will be elated to hear that Australia Avenue has opened. The new road provides a critical link between Eden Station Drive, Southern Cross Circuit and Orion Springfield Central, easing pressure on the surrounding road network and improving access to the Centenary Highway. Seventy per cent of Ipswich’s growth is occurring in the corridor between Springfield and Ipswich Central, so it is important we get our infrastructure in place. This road was funded and built by Springfield City Group. The opening is very timely because it allows work to continue on Springfield Parkway, the largest road project in Ipswich’s history. Work on this project is progressing well and is on schedule. Traffic linkages are improving, and council will continue to ensure traffic is managed in a sustainable way.
BRIGHTDAZE ahead for Springfield Central
The city’s premier arts and culture event, SPARK Ipswich, will hold its new music festival BRIGHTDAZE on Saturday, 8 July, at the YMCA Springfield Central. This event will join WOMI and really showcases the best parts of the greater Springfield area. BRIGHTDAZE will be headlined by chart-topping Australian hip-hop artist Allday, indie folk singer Hope D and Ipswich artist Paulina, who was the 2022 Queensland Music Awards Youth Award winner. A strong community leads to a strong economy and council is really looking forward to these two great events adding a spark to the eastern side of the city. There are also many more activities all around the city, including the Common People Dance Eisteddfod, IMMERSE, delight and Little Day Out. To see the full program, visit the Ipswich Festivals website.
Library goes from strength to strength
Ipswich has exceptional libraries and they serve as a hotspot for connection and knowledge. The Springfield Central Library is no exception: 208,989 visitors were recorded in 2022, an increase of 17 per cent from 2021. It’s wonderful to see so many residents enjoying our libraries across the region. However, there is always room for improvement and that’s why council is once again reaching out to the community to gather valuable feedback through a quick, online survey designed to gather insights that will help shape future services and programs. Those who complete the survey will go into the draw to win a brand-new iPad (Gen 10). The survey is open until 25 June 2023 at www.shapeyouripswich.com.au/librariessurvey2023.