Carnival Ln born after TRC votes New laneway named after event

‘‘ IT IS DESIRABLE FOR EACH LANEWAY TO HAVE A DISTINCT IDENTITY TO ASSIST PEOPLE.

ANN WHITTON, TRC

THE Toowoomba CBD’s upcoming $1.1 million laneway will be named after the city’s popular Carnival of Flowers, after the council yesterday decided upon its title.

Carnival Lane, which will be created after the Toowoomba Regional Council demolishes the building at 174 Margaret St, was handed its new name in a council decision at the ordinary meeting.

The project, which will already cost more than $1 million in the current financial year, was developed over several years to open up a struggling part of the CBD to more car parking and dining options along Annand St.

TRC urban design principal Ann Whitton said the building had no significant owners, opening the door for a more community-oriented theme.

“To be most effective it is desirable for each laneway to have a distinct identity to assist people to orientate themselves in the city centre,” she said in her report to the council.

“There are no records of significant persons or events which might inform a theme or name for the laneway.

“The suggestion to name the new laneway ‘Carnival Lane’, in recognition of the 70th anniversary of the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers came from a discussion with councillors.”

But the name was almost changed at the last minute, with Cr Joe Ramia questioning whether the word “carnival” did enough to illustrate to residents that it was referring to the 70-year old tourism event.

“In another 20 or 30 years, if something happens to the Carnival of Flowers, are people going to know what Carnival Lane means?” he asked Ms Whitton.

“That’s the only issue I have, taking the word ‘flowers’ out of there that makes this city what it is.”

Motion mover Cr Geoff McDonald started entertaining the name change until it was knocked back by seconder Cr Bill Cahill.

Ms Whitton informed the councillors that the newlyformed art reference group was likely to make the Carnival of Flowers a part of the design for the laneway’s walls.

Cr McDonald said he would like to see more themed laneways created in the Toowoomba CBD to open up the city.

Interior demolitions at the building started recently, with exterior destruction to begin later this year.