New blackboard re- enforces city’s community spirit

rachael.murray@thechronicle.com.au THREE years ago yesterday flood waters surged through the streets of Toowoomba, destroying the heart of the city’s CBD.

A blackboard on Margaret St has this week revived that same spirit which saw a community band together to re-build after the disaster.

To mark the third anniversary of the floods, Arts Council Toowoomba invited Toowoomba Regional Councillors to join residents in posting the reasons they love their city on the blackboards installed along the Margaret and Dent St walkway.

As Cr Carol Taylor picked up the chalk, she said it was “good for us to stop and think about what we love about our community”.

Her addition to the “I love Toowoomba because” blackboard was “its vibrant community”.

Kerry Shine wrote that he loved Toowoomba because “it’s a friendly but forward looking city”.

Arts Council president Jennifer Wright said the blackboards were a great success.

“There was a feeling of community love about and more smiles as people read the boards,” she said.

“As people read other comments, they were reminded to think about what they were grateful for.”

A project like this was open to being a target for abuse and negative comments, but Ms Wright said there was no permanent damage or graffiti.

“There wasn’t anything too serious and the worst of it was easily rubbed off.”

James Bartlett, who made the blackboards, knew there was a good chance they would need to be replaced throughout the week and was impressed by the community’s respect for the project. “It’s been a real success. “I think it’s something we will do again in the future, maybe at the Carnival of Flowers.”

Ms Wright said by the end of