Let Hells Gate fix flow
AS the Cowboys staged their remarkable comeback to overcome the Panthers at 1300SMILES Stadium on Saturday, a prominent businessman was overheard bemoaning Townsville’s lack of progress.
“Plans! Please! We don’t need any more plans. We’ve got a hundred of them. We just need them to act on one of them.’’
His lament was soon drowned out by the deafening roar that erupted as Kyle Feldt returned to earth for his spectacular matchwinning try.
But it’s a complaint that can still be heard across the city.
People here — not just business people — are sceptical of visions, plans, masterplans, reboots, whatever you want to label them. They want action. Well yesterday, they got some in a hurry. In one fell swoop, Townsville City Council delivered its budget, approved its development corporation, tabled the Pure Projects positioning plan, rejected a proposal to raise councillor salaries by 17 per cent (!) and approved a scheme to buy land for the proposed mega battery plant. Not bad for a day’s work. But there again is the dreaded “plan’’ word. Is the Pure Projects version any better than the rest?
The dust has yet to settle on the document but at first blush there is much to like about it. For a start, it doesn’t beat around the bush. It has used extensive qualitative research to summarise the good, the bad and the ugly about our city.
Encouragingly, most of its findings are in the “good’’ category.
We have, for instance, a magnificent community spirit and sense of pride.
We have some outstanding natural assets, not least The Strand, Castle Hill and our majestic Magnetic Island.
As for the bad, there’s no polite way to put this. For many of our residents, Townsville is, well, boring.
This is particularly the case among the socalled millennials, the younger generation that is increasingly finding a place and a voice in the grown- up world.
Their parents may live here, but they want to leave here.
Pure Projects identifies this cohort, comprising 41 per cent of our population ( compared with the national average of 34 per cent) as the key to our future prospects.
If we fail to address their concerns we will be condemned to long- term decline.
The consultants have identified 13 projects that can meet this challenge, make our city eminently more liveable for all of us and set us on a pathway to growth and prosperity.
It’s an insightful and illuminating document that offers up a great reimagining of Townsville. Now the ball is in the council’s court. Will it act, or blink and waste what may be our last opportunity. I AM 70 years old and have lived in Townsville all my life.
I started work when I was 13 years old and to date am still working full time.
I have paid and am still paying my share of taxes.
I am hereby sincerely objecting to having one cent of my tax being spent on the duplication of the present engineering nightmare method of backup water supply to Townsville.
I believe that duplicating this disaster absolute stupidity.
Imagine the wasted expense if drought lasts another five years or more.
It is obviously the cheapest quick fix the State Government can offer us bogans in the North, but also a cash cow for them in the form of massive power and maintenance costs to run the thing.
Now that we have the reality of this water crisis staring us in the face, why can’t the boys at the big end of town use some of the following: vision and foresight, power and money, and mostly guts and brains, and do what is required and build the Hells Gate Dam.
In the very least and last resort, install a totally gravity- fed supply from the Burdekin Dam but keep in mind this water supply will also be in high demand in the future.
Mr Webb, I hope you make the right recommendations but whatever it is, will they listen? is this COL FEATHER, Idalia. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: Galatians 5: 22,23a