Resurfacing from disaster
IT WILL be business as usual soon for the Townsville Business Development Centre’s Small Business Incubator after a joint effort with Townsville City Council to revive the water-damaged office space.
The Townsville Business Development Centre was forced to evacuate seven office spaces from its stand-alone building at its Condon facility after a record-breaking monsoon hit the region in February and left it unsafe to use.
TBDC tenant and business owner Chris Quin, from Resilient Projects, had been operating out of a makeshift office since February and said the newly renovated spaces would be good for business.
“As a small business you can plan and plan, but when natural disasters like the monsoon event strike you need to be able to adapt and change the plan in order to survive,” Mr Quin said.
“I’ve been able to maintain my business out of the temporary space and I’m thankful to the TBDC for accommodating me, but I have to say I am very keen to move into the renovated office.”
Nearly eight months after the disaster, the centre’s acting general manager Mark Rushbrook said the support of the council and the patience of its incubator businesses was to be commended.
“The office space was inundated with water through the ceiling, which damaged not only the structure but also the internal fixtures and rendered the space unusable,” Mr Rushbrook said.
“Our facility is owned by our major supporter Townsville City Council and we have to thank the TCC team for its support during the insurance claim and renovation phases.
“We have had to convert all available areas within the main building into office spaces for our tenants and they have been very adaptable to the situation, which is also greatly appreciated.”
Mr Rushbrook said the renovation had involved stripping out most of the internal ceiling, internal walls and parts of the floor, and when complete will include the total replacement of the roof and all internal floor coverings.
“It’s exciting seeing the renovations take place and we’re looking forward to unveiling the finished product and getting our tenants back into their offices by the end of October,” he said.
“The TBDC is currently home to 29 tenant businesses, which employ more than 100 staff, and we are excited that when the centre is repaired we will have the capacity to accommodate five new businesses.”
Cr Mark Molachino said it was important the centre had appropriate facilities to provide support to local small businesses.
“Our whole community suffered after the floods and our small businesses have been doing it tough so the support and services of the TBDC are a vital part in our recovery,” he said.