We are seeking community input on community’s values to help inform the project brief. This includes the Cultural Centre itself as well as it’s location.
There are three ways you can share your views:
- Complete our survey below. The survey closes Sunday 26 May, 2024. You can also complete a paper copy survey at Council owned facilities across the region.
- Visit us at Dalby Shopping World outside Big W at the following times:
- Wednesday 22nd, 12pm - 4pm
- Thursday 23rd, 2pm - 6.30pm
- Friday 24th, 9am - 12pm
- Contact us at info@wdrc.qld.gov.au or give us a call at 07 4679 4000.
Your feedback is invaluable to us as we continue to explore the best possible location for the Dalby Cultural Centre.
You can read more about the engagement process undertaken to date here.
Online Survey
This survey is an opportunity to test thinking about the values and site location for the Dalby Cultural Centre. Survey questions have been informed by the outcomes of previous Cultural Centre engagement activities. Your perspectives will help guide and shape the Dalby Cultural Centre project for the future of our town and the region.
This survey should take you approximately 10-minutes to complete.
Location Evaluation
Council is exploring three site options for the new Dalby Cultural Centre including:
1. Within Thomas Jack Park
2. 107 Drayton Street, Dalby
3. Distributed Model - within Thomas Jack Park with some elements of the Cultural Centre located outside of the Park
Previous engagement rounds also explored the old Sisters of Mercy site located at 169 Cunningham St, Dalby QLD 4405. You can read more about why this site is no longer being considered here.
There are both challenges and opportunities associated with each of the site options. The following identifies some considerations for each of the sites, as well as the opportunities to mitigate site challenges through design solutions.
Option 1: Within Thomas Jack Park
Council have identified the need for upgrades to the amenities and facilities in Thomas Jack Park as many of the features (including play equipment and amenities) have reached the end of their lifetime and will need to be replaced soon. This location option explores reimagining the park's outdoor recreation areas and interactive play spaces with the co-location of a new Dalby Cultural Centre. In this option, the building design will utilise a part of the park land, integrating into the landscape to present new indoor / outdoor experiences. This would provide even more opportunities to socialise and connect at our beloved Thomas Jack Park. Council’s land is 37,465 m2, with frontage to Drayton Street / Warrego Highway.
Site Opportunities:
- Opportunity for a state-of-the-art facility incorporating the VIC
- Connectivity with the surrounding green space which would expand into a revamped family-friendly greenspace and children's playground
- Existing established trees contribute to amenity
- More reasons for people to visit the park leads to a more vibrant community place
- Create ‘Gateway to Western Downs’
- Iconic, central & visible
- Space for indoor/outdoor recreation & events
- Close to CBD – schools / shops / transport & Mary’s Place
- Uses can leverage off existing park space / programs to attract people
- Access to existing Council infrastructure (water/sewer etc)
- Not flood impacted
Site Challenges:
- Loss of some green space
- Close to residential areas
- Design would have to be ‘smart’ to disguise loading docks, industrial bins, compressors etc. and not impact heritage residences along Condamine and Bunya streets
- Potential loss of some established trees
- Possible visibility issues from Drayton Street due to vegetation
107 Drayton Street, Dalby:
The land of the former MyALL 107 remains undeveloped. Council is considering rebuilding the Dalby Cultural Centre on this land. Council’s land is 12,197 m2, with frontage to Drayton Street / Warrego Highway.
Site Opportunities:
- Opportunity to regreen the site for neighbouring benefit
- Visible on a corner block
- Potentially 24hr safe site with homes overlooking and providing surveillance
- Already cleared and flat
- Good parking and on-site access
- Appropriate size for core uses
Site Challenges:
- The site is isolated and not in the core CBD area
- Previous community response identified library and cafe not as well attended due to distance and separation from the CBD and schools (a ‘drive to’ destination).
- Flood impacted
- Site size - needs a lot of landscaping and there may not be enough space
- No existing character or trees
- Community use probably not the ‘highest and best’ use
- On the opposite side to most incoming tourism. Visitor Centre integration wouldn’t work as well as Thomas Jack Park
- Lower foot traffic may make it less active and harder for café to thrive
- Not a very attractive site / part of town
Distributed Model - Thomas Jack Park with some elements located outside of the park
Similar to the Thomas Jack Park option, this option explores utilising part of the Park for the new Cultural Centre, however in this option, we explore options for elements of the facility to be located outside of the Park. This would reduce the building footprint in the Park.
Site Opportunities:
- Less building in the park
- Opportunity to re-energise the CBD and distribute community energy across the centre
- Opportunity for multiple identities / uses with a variety of ‘characters’
- Distributed impacts (carparking etc)
Site Challenges:
- Does not concentrate visitation in one area
- It may take a long time to reach the desired stage of development
- The efficiencies around co-location are potentially reduced
- More costly due to the development of multiple sites
