MILESTONE CELEBRATION
FINANCIAL services business My Fortress has marked the 10-year anniversary of the refurbishment and opening of its Townsville centre in Hermit Park.
In a deal that was contentious at the time, Townsville City Council sold the former Fit For Life Centre in Charters Towers Rd to the business, then called Dalle Cort Financial Services.
Dalle Cort won the tender with a bid of more than $3m and an offer to write off almost $300,000 in yearly rent, allowing user groups to stay at the centre until a new stadium was built at Murray.
The property is also notable as the former site of Paterson Playground, named in honour of Fred Paterson, a former alderman on Townsville City Council and, when elected to the Queensland parliament, the only member of the Communist Party ever elected to an Australian parliament.
My Fortress chief financial officer and partner Ian Bowrey said the firm had redeveloped the centre while retaining many of the original features and a level of community use.
A squash court had been refurbished and a gym relocated as a staff amenity, while three other squash courts had been converted into an auditorium and meeting room.
Mr Bowrey said the function areas had been made available to many not-for-profit groups needing premises for their events.
He said the former volleyball/futsal timber floor had been refurbished and maintained and survived the 2019 flood event.
The centre is now home to three financial services businesses under the My Fortress group, employing 65 people, a number that has more than doubled since opening in 2012.
The purpose-built function facilities host fortnightly, free financial education seminars with the financial advice business now in its 33rd year.
Mr Bowrey said the refurbishment took 12 months.