Sunshine Coast Council has endorsed the business case for a new regional gallery, as well as a master plan that covers a beloved coastal reserve which attracts thousands of people a day.
At its ordinary meeting on Thursday, councillors voted in favour of the Point Cartwright Reserve and La Balsa Park Master Plan.
It came after robust debate and lengthy deliberation – specifically on the proposal to change dog off-leash areas at Point Cartwright.
After the plans were released in June, community members voiced their concerns and began a physical petition, as well as the ‘Keep Point Cartwright off leash access for dogs’ online petition, which has attracted more than 4800 signatures.
During the meeting, Division 4 councillor Joe Natoli tabled the online and physical public petitions against the changes.
He said the plan had achieved a balance between the needs of all user groups and protecting the environment.
“For this reason, the master plan has provided recommendations to ensure sustainable pet access to ensure the protection of our environment,” Cr Natoli said.
“This was not a light decision and has been vigorously debated to ensure our community, our council staff and our environment are protected.
“The changes to pet access are subject to the local law amendment process and our community will be able to provide further feedback in a separate community engagement process later this year.”
The plan also outlines improvements to pathway networks, upgraded picnic furniture and playgrounds, more shade and landscaping, realigned parking and viewing platforms.
“Council has an obligation to put best-practice management procedures in place to care and protect these values while improving the experience and accessibility of this beautiful place,” Cr Natoli said.
“This master plan is council’s response to that, and I believe we’ve found the right balance in ensuring this is a site enjoyed for many future generations.
“I’m pleased to see my fellow councillors endorse this plan, which has been extensively shaped by community feedback since 2021.
“The majority of feedback showed most people want to preserve or enhance what they already appreciate rather than wanting infrastructure change in the area, and that’s exactly what this master plan contains.”
Division 6 councillor Christian Dickson said in the meeting he was against the section of the master plan relating to dog access, and had met with the public at Point Cartwright ahead of the meeting.
“I spoke to a lady who said she’d been going to the area for 14 years,” he said.
“She comes to the area with one of her rescue dogs because it’s the one place that her rescue dog actually feels safe and engages and is friendly with other people.
“That petition … has only been going since June this year and has had significant support for keeping things as it is.
“People can talk about numbers but the truth is if it was an election the dogs would be elected today. It’s as simple as that, clear numbers.”
He said he didn’t support the master plan, although he acknowledged “there’s some good things in there”.
“I think we’ve gone too far. I think council needs to wind down some of the regulatory approaches we’ve taken,” Cr Dickson said.
“I just hope as a council we can protect what we’ve got and still offer people the social interactions that they desperately need here on the Sunshine Coast.”
The decision to endorse the master plan was carried, with councillors Rick Baberowski, Terry Landsberg, Joe Natoli, Jason O’Pray, David Law, Mark Jamieson and Maria Suarez in favour, and councillors Peter Cox, Christian Dickson and Ted Hungerford against it.
The dog access changes require council to amend the local laws, which will involve a separate community engagement process later this year.
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Meanwhile, councillors on Thursday unanimously endorsed the detailed business case for a new Sunshine Coast Regional Gallery in Caloundra.
The business case will now be used as the foundation document to develop a funding strategy and advance conceptual designs this financial year.
Division 2 councillor Terry Landsberg said the new gallery was a key component of the vision for the Caloundra Community and Creative Hub precinct.
“The benefits of investment in the new gallery are considerable in terms of generating economic activity in Caloundra and the wider Sunshine Coast region, increasing cultural awareness, improving sense of place and enhancing community development through increased liveability and public amenity,” he said.
“A comparative and integrated analysis of the shortlisted options considered throughout the business case determined that the preferred location for the new regional gallery is the existing library site.
“This option uses part of that site, enabling us to preserve Felicity Park with the potential to create a significant town square and expanded open and public space.
“The revised location provides optimum pedestrian and visual connections throughout the precinct, protects existing vegetation and focuses back-of-house and loading functions away from open spaces, minimising impacts on the public realm and proposed new town square.
“It also allows the continued operation of the current gallery throughout a construction period and retains land capacity for potential collocated mixed-use development in the future.
“We acknowledge there are many competing funding priorities so it’s important to note council has only endorsed the business case and the location of the new gallery at this stage.”
Community Portfolio councillor Rick Baberowski said the business case approval was an important first step to deliver on the Regional Arts Infrastructure Framework 2019-2041, which provides a network of transformational arts infrastructure across the region.
“Approving the business case places us in a much better position to prepare a funding strategy to guide approaches to potential funding partners including state and federal governments and philanthropists,” he said.
“Until we have certainty on cost and funding there will be a need to stay somewhat flexible in the detailed design of the proposed gallery.
“Obtaining the funding will allow us to achieve the functional and design outcomes required to ultimately position our region as a nationally competitive cultural destination.”
To read more about the detailed business case, visit council’s website and search for “Caloundra Centre Activation Project”.
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