Chamber’s dream to ignite the CBD
The Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce has been advocating for many years about the need for a major piece of infrastructure investment in the central business district (CBD) to ignite the city heart.
In 2020, work undertaken by the Toowoomba Chamber identified the need for a significant piece of game-changing public infrastructure investment. This need was reaffirmed in 2023, as part of our recently released CBD Economic Profile. As a result, the CBD Revitalisation Advisory Committee (CBDRAC) has worked with leading local architecture firm Aspect Architects and Project Managers and community leader Peter Marks to produce a BIG vision legacy project for the CBD to meet this need.
In summary the project includes the following opportunities:
- 12-storey building as per the Toowoomba Regional Council Town Plan;
- retail, restaurant, bars, cafes and an urban forecourt linking CBD to Empire Theatre;
- hotel and carparking;
- conference centre with a capacity of between 1700 – 1800 depending on final design;
- office space in the order of 4000m², which would be ideal for new Toowoomba Regional Council offices;
- 78 residential apartments;
- useable roof top terrace;
- two levels of basement parking, creating 300 public carparks; and
- an urban park to bring the Garden City into the CBD.
- Toowoomba Chamber Board Member and CBDRAC lead, Gordon Grover said, “The Toowoomba CBD is the heart of our region which needs constant attention and nurturing.
“We now have the evidence-based policy of the bursting need to ignite the CBD through the development of a high-quality, mixed-use development.
“The vision builds on Queensland’s only garden city by integrating an urban park in the CBD, makes a significant contribution to car parking inequality, addresses our conference facility needs, provides accommodation choice, and builds on our laneway character, all pillars of our advocacy for the CBD since 2020.
“We decided, we could no longer patiently wait and we needed to act now to ensure we have a CBD for future generations, a CBD which is alive, safe and provides opportunities to engage with our community and visitors alike,” explained Gordon.
“Since 2020, the Toowoomba Chamber has been advocating to bring life back into the CBD through improved car parking arrangements, accommodation incentives, events, and the creation of a major piece of public infrastructure.
“With the CBD contributing over 8% to the local government area GDP, we believe more needs to be done to get the city’s heart pumping.
Toowoomba Chamber Board Member and local CBD business owner, Gary Wilson said, “This legacy project is about future proofing the CBD, enhancing business opportunity and bringing people back to the CBD to live, work, play and stay.
“As a CBD business owner for over a decade, the need for a legacy project like this that delivers for the community and business sector has been long awaited.
“With the project including a significant community-based contribution in parks, streetscape enhancements and a conference facility this is a project that will need to be delivered with the support of all levels of government and the business community.
“Now the initial design and opportunity has been articulated, the hard work and detail design needs to commence to have the project shovel ready by undertaking detailed master planning, engagement with the community, creating a world class design, developing a strategic and detailed business case, and establishing a multi partnership arrangement.
“We call on all levels of government to assist us in undertaking this work to create a shovel ready project, so we can advocate for financial support to get construction underway sooner rather than later,” expressed Gary
