Cassowary Coast Regional Council

The official opening of the Johnstone Shire Hall and the imminent letting of the contract to complete the basement level has focused attention on this landmark heritage building.

This very valuable asset to our region, which has so much potential, must remain affordable to the community and be effectively managed and promoted.

The renovation and restoration has cost $17 million – paid for by post cyclone Larry insurance proceeds of $6 million; a state government grant of $3 million and $8 million from council revenue and reserves.

This total includes unavoidable costs associated with the heritage listing of the building ($2 million) and upgrade of light and sound equipment, lifts and air conditioning ($3 million) to bring the facility up to competitive modern standards.

There was also expenditure on bringing the building up to current fire protection standards and installing an enhanced power supply, mainly required for the air conditioning.

The upcoming refit of the basement will cost another $1 million.

The small area at the rear of the basement level was previously sub-standard office space. To the centre of this level was a large area used for records storage and to the front was the space formerly used by the State Emergency Service (SES).

Council needed to renovate the offices and make better use of the storage space and the area now vacated by SES in its move to the Flying Fish Point Road premises.

The new SES premises, which were opened on Monday 13th July, provide a first class facility. The Cassowary Coast Regional Council (CCRC) contributed $250,000 to this project.

Council has to vacate the present rented premises on the corner of Grace and Rankin Streets (the old library building) as the lessee wants to develop the site.

The completion of the Johnstone Shire Hall and the full utilisation of all levels of the building by the CCRC will take off the agenda any issue of another purpose built council headquarters for many years to come.

It is true that the sale of the old library premises by the previous council, subsequent to Cyclone Larry, for $505,000, contributed to building reserves that were utilised for the completion of the hall.

The building of a larger library will most likely be a multi million dollar project and the $505,000, as above, will need to be significantly added to in order to fund a new facility.

The design of libraries in the digital age is undergoing significant revision worldwide. It will be necessary for council, with the community, to decide on an appropriate design, location and costing, taking into account all the relevant factors.