The Thomas Jack Park Precinct unlocks a once-in-a-generation opportunity to elevate our park and create a regional gateway for the Western Downs; a place we can all be proud of.

The detailed design phase for the new Dalby Cultural Centre in Thomas Jack Park is well underway. Key features of the concept design include a new library, cinema, art gallery, and visitor information centre. Soon, we'll be sharing these plans with the community before setting our sights on the tender process!

Council would like to thank our passionate and engaged community for your collaboration and feedback throughout Stages 1 – 3 of our engagement program. Community’s vision has inspired a beautiful, functional space for cultural pursuits, facilities to engage our youth, a social hub, and a gateway to our region, thoughtfully and seamlessly embedded in the natural beauty of Thomas Jack Park.

As we move through detailed design phase for the Cultural Centre, and finalise the design for the park, we will continue to involve key stakeholder groups to ensure every detail is relevant and reflective of our community’s needs.

Download the results from community engagement feedback to see how your input helped to inform the final design.

For more information on the Thomas Jack Park Precinct Concept Design that we shared with you all in late 2024, download the design package.

In collaboration with our community, we have been working to create an integrated community destination where green space and natural surroundings are complemented by opportunities to learn, be entertained, relax, and socialise in the new facilities.

Since the loss of MyALL 107 we have undertaken multiple extensive rounds of engagement, gaining key insights from thousands of people.

The Consultation Process

Throughout Stages 1 to 3, our consultation team have been busy undertaking open public engagement along with targeted engagement with key community stakeholders including neighbouring residents. This engagement began in June and continued through until the beginning of November at the conclusion of Stage 3 – Draft Concept Design.

Engagement included:

• Sessions in schools to gain input from youth and teen perspectives
• Regular meetings of the Community Advisory Panel and Youth Advisory Panel
• Meetings with key cultural stakeholders including representatives of the library, art gallery and visitor information centre
• Pop ups around town
• Online survey

Shaping the project and setting a shared vision

The site, project brief and concept design have been informed by many factors including community feedback, expert advice, and other technical, strategic and financial considerations.

The full Phase 1 Community Engagement Report and Site Analysis Study (June 2024) is available to read here.

The full Phase 2 Engagement Report (August 2024) is available to read here.

The full Phase 3 Engagement Report (November 2024) is available to read here.

There were many positive outcomes from Stage 3 – Draft Concept Design engagement, the community were largely very eager for the development of the Cultural Centre, captured in the following key takeaways –

• Much of community is excited about the design and eager to see it move forward
• Youth are especially excited by the new provisions for play and socialising
• Many of the remaining queries now relate to details that will be addressed in Phase 4 – Detailed Design

Thomas Jack Park

In relation to Thomas Jack Park, we understand community concerns around protecting the existing values of the site. The key messages we heard were:

• Thomas Jack Park plays an important role in our community, from social, cultural and personal perspectives and this role must be preserved
• When asked to rank the most desired activities for the Cultural Centre in a May survey, responses showed that the top 9 activities out of 17 were social activities
• There is concern at a loss of green space in the park and this must be minimised and addressed through the design
• It is vital to maintain access to a safe and secure playground through any development of the park
• There are concerns around parking and traffic issues which must be addressed through the design
• There is much support for locating some Cultural Centre facilities within Thomas Jack Park because of its proximity to the CBD, existing position as a community hub, increased opportunities to spend time in nature, safety for youth and the potential to create something exciting and unique that sets Dalby apart in the region

Culture, Play and Recreation

We also heard in relation to culture, play and recreation at Thomas Jack Park:

• Community expressed a need for more activities and opportunities for youth and teens
• There is a lot of excitement from community at the prospect of workshop space, tech spaces, event spaces and ways for older children to gain independence in a safe, welcoming and accessible environment
• There was strong community sentiment that the library and art gallery in particular should be embedded in nature, creating more opportunities for learning, studying, experiencing art and being entertained in proximity to the natural environment
• Throughout engagement, community envisioned a place that not only provides interest, activities, amenities and time in nature for visitors but also tells stories of Dalby’s identity and heritage, and becomes a must-visit destination for anyone travelling in our region
• Community recognised that in order to accommodate a wide range of uses, all of the facilities would need to be designed as multi-use spaces, adaptable to many different situations

After the sad loss of MyALL 107, Council began work to engage with the community to find out more about what people wanted and needed out of a Cultural Centre in town.

This included the formation of a Community Advisory Panel (CAP) in March 2023. This group was made up of members of the community who represented many different segments, all with a special knowledge and interest in the subject matter. This included people involved in Arts and Cultural groups, the library, community groups and business community representatives from the Dalby Chamber of Commerce.

A graphic overview of the CAP and community engagement process for the Cultural Centre has been provided below:

The CAP allowed the project team to balance broad with deep engagement and enabled the sharing of two-way information. Through this process the group explored complex urban issues and targeted topics such as urban design, technical specifications, ideas for facilities, equipment, and specifications for the facilities that might be included within the new Cultural Centre. Research and reflection also covered Dalby's identity, what people in Dalby most valued and what was needed for the future growth of the town. On the CAP's recommendation we aligned engagement programs (both online via 'Have your Say' and in-person) to engage with community directly while also drawing insights from other projects with relevant engagement topics (such as the WDRC Parks and Placemaking Strategy).

Selecting the site for the new Cultural Centre

The selection of a preferred site for the Cultural Centre was not taken lightly. The CAP and Councillors reviewed 4 sites in Dalby. There was no specific site in mind at the beginning of this process. Instead, each site was evaluated against criteria that were indicated as being important by community. You can see some of these detailed below:

All 4 sites were assessed and scored by the CAP. Community's perspectives were then shared with Councillors and a section of Thomas Jack Park emerged as the preferred site.

Council therefore made a resolution in September 2023 to proceed with concept planning for the Dalby Cultural Centre and approve "Thomas Jack Park" as the preferred location for the Cultural Centre whilst also retaining the nature of the Park as a community parkland within the concept designs and any future planning of the site.

Later, in April 2024, Council revised this decision at its Ordinary Council Meeting, agreeing to take time to review the location and budget of future cultural facilities in Dalby.

We are currently reviewing this site to ensure all community perspectives have been well considered (as heard during consultation) alongside best practice design principles, site constraints and project budget.

Community input into the decision-making process

Council has adopted a layered decision-making process that allows for a well considered balance of broad and deep engagement. The appointment of a Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) and Community Advisory Panel (CAP) are key components of this process. These Panels operate in an advisory role. They are not a decision-making body.

Community Advisory Panel (CAP)

The CAP is a group of people representing local businesses, residents and community groups that meets regularly to discuss the project and act in an advisory capacity. In May 2024 a new group was formed (CAP2.0) to replace the original CAP.

The primary objectives of the Community Advisory Panel are to:

• Share knowledge regarding the Dalby Cultural Centre and ultimate site.
• Encourage the development of productive relationships between all community groups and stakeholders.
• Act as conduit to the broader community to share accurate information and generate further understanding about the project within the terms of the Community Advisory Panel.
• Foster positive ongoing relationships between stakeholders focussed on arts, cultural and recreational activities.

Youth Advisory Panel (YAP)

The Youth Advisory Panel was formed in May 2024 to complement the activities of the CAP and ensure the voice of youth is strong throughout this project.

The YAP is composed of 15-20 students from grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 from three local schools. Through key stages of the engagement process, the YAP will meet in advance of the CAP so that the students can then present a summary of their views to inform the CAP discussion.