WITH VIEWS AS FAR AS THE EYE COULD SEE, THIS WAS THE PLACE FOR WEDDINGS, PARTIES, ANYTHING ... Why push a shed uphill? R
EMEMBER Panorama House?
I can still remember the first few times I struggled up Castle Hill, being overtaken by small children and people pushing prams, and wondering if the torture was ever going to end.
One more bend, oh no, one MORE bend, then finally, hallelujah, there it was.
Panorama House, a somewhat unimaginative yet aptly named function centre, that marked the final bend before the last, thighbusting climb to the carpark.
And who wouldn’t have a venue up there?
With views as far as the eye could see, this was the place for weddings, parties, anything; until 2011, when gatecrasher Cyclone Yasi decided to pay an unwelcome visit.
The damage was substantial, but of course we assumed it would be repaired.
Daily walks past the councilowned site saw no progress, then eventually, the gates were locked and a sign put up, and that was it. Over.
Asbestos had been found, a demolition order was made and completed, and Townsville’s most valuable location was off-limits to all.
Weeds grew over the site for nearly a decade, with Millenials who now climb the hill oblivious to the overgrown ledge once being a top option for their parents’ 21st birthday parties.
Since then, on this page, I’ve lost count of the suggestions for something, anything; to give tourists and locals alike a more inviting experience than queuing up for the water bubbler.
Like, say, a food truck with umbrellas, tables and chairs; with water, ice cream, coffee, sandwiches, beer, wine, whatever. Hello?
Crickets.
So, here we are, nine years later, with a plan!
Should we just be grateful that something is happening?
Or like the much-heralded ‘Bus Hub’ that’s a row of bus stops by anyone’s measure, or the stillempty Queens Gardens replacement aviary that is yet to house birds, value honesty over false fawning.
The council scored $2 million through a Federal Government fund, and got us a shed.
No disrespect intended to the architects, but come on.
For those who haven’t seen the artist’s impression, it’s a timberclad box, on small stilts, with a deck and a flat, unlined roof.
In fact, if you took the C Bar from the Strand and transported it up the Hill, you’d get the idea because they’re exactly the same design.
Or, if you can’t visualise the C Bar, think of a donga with a permanent awning, and a deck.
Does this represent value for the two mill, or does this underwhelming erection reinforce the old adage that for government tenders, adding a zero to the quote is mandatory?
Let’s hope this will be one of those, ‘it looks so much better in real life’ situations.
Maybe the council could entice Otto’s to open another outlet (please let it be licensed), and surely a grant could sponsor a daily rendition of the indigenous dance performance on the observation deck meant for a minibus of dignitaries that I stumbled upon many moons ago.
Passing walkers stopped in their tracks by dancers, in red loincloths, against Pallarenda’s setting sun? Epic, Instagram-able, ‘money-can’t-buy’ awesome.
Maybe the building was designed as a backdrop.
Just add imagination.