Q. How can I have a say?
Your opinions on this project are essential and we invite you to share your indeas and comments by August 6, 2010.
- leave a comment on this site
- contact Council's Parks Planning Officer (Strategy) on 3412 3412 or
- email council@logan.qld.gov.au.
Q. How will public feedback be used/considered?
All public comments will be considered and have the opportunity to influence the final plan. Council is looking for all types of feedback - positive, negative and informative - from all interested parties. This is your chance to have a say!
Q. When will be the master plan be finalised?
Following community feedback, the goal is to have the plan endorsed by Council in September 2010.
Q. Will this current proposal be the final Logan West Parklands Park Master Plan?
Not necessarily. This is just a draft at this stage. Council encourages feedback from the community, including your favoured components or alternative ideas that could be included in the refinement of the plan.
Q. When will it come into effect?
Master plans are long-term planning tools which influence the development of Council facilities over five to 10 years. This means the ultimate implementation of the Logan West Parklands plan will largely depend on the availability of funding.
Q. When will development begin?
From here, we make changes to the draft based on feedback from the community and other groups, and then submit a Final Master Plan to Council to be endorsed, (approximately three months).
We can then begin developing detailed documentation for the project (six months).
Therefore, construction for phase one would most likely begin in 2011.
Q. Will the development be staged and how much will it cost?
We will stage the park's development over a number of years. Completion of the project is dependent on funding available to Council. Construction of each stage will be guided by the feedback provided by the community consultation.
Q. What are the design principles behind the master plan?
Bushland Conservation Zone
The design approach to this area is minimal intervention to reduce environmental impact and maintain refuge areas for the kangaroos. Some of the proposed elements include low key tracks and a single loop trail combined with maintenance tracks only where necessary.
Bushland Discovery Zone
The design intent for this area is to provide and maitain wildlife links to surrounding corridors. Features include low key pedestrian connections, and areas within parkland loop and connecting trails that provide opportunities for environmental education focus. This may include interpretive signage, environmental centre and other learning areas
Metro Park Recreation Focus Zone
This zone uses the existing cleared area of the park located at the eastern end of the site. This provides an opportunity to plan for more intensive parkland design interventions and is a welcoming space to discover and explore.
The area will have a community focus and will more than likely have picnic facilities, barbecues, play and cultural heritage features integrated with art, signage and planting design.
Simple and legible vehicular and pedestrian access will provide the framework for high quality amenities throughout, possibly including a cafe and gallery space.
Q. Key facilities proposed for the Metro Park Zone:
Primary Play precinct
The play precinct may have integrated picnic facilities, play areas, paths and gardens. A water play area may be integrated into general play areas. The proposed location is intended to provide easy access from surrounding areas and close to proposed parking locations
Large Group Area
A separate area has been proposed for large groups gatherings and events without conflicting with other park users. This area may have large shelters with barbecues. Amenities will also be required in this area.
Stage and Amphitheatre
The master plan proposes the development of an outdoor stage area, located at the lower end of the open lawn area to utilise the site’s natural fall. Mounded sides are proposed to provide a sense of enclosure. Areas will be provided to load equipment and temporary amenities required for an event. The proposed amphitheatre area could possibly accommodate 5,500 people. To prevent the surrounding community's exposure to excessive noise, it is proposed that the sound system would have a limited trajectory similar to Brisbane's Riverstage.
Kick-about Area
A large lawn area is proposed to accommodate multiple uses including ball games, kite flying and open air markets.
Environment Education Precinct
This area provides an opportunity to offer flexible indoor and outdoor spaces, displays, native plant nursery, demonstration gardens and rehabilitation areas. It may alsofeature a wetland education discovery area with interpretive signage.
Cultural Precinct
This area provides opportunists for facilities and areas such as gallery space, sculpture garden, formal gardens, wedding arbour, and possibly permanent and temporary installations. There is also an opportunity to represent Logan's multicultural diversity in this space.
Quiet Picnic Area
A low key picnic area with small playground is proposed to be located away from the main high intensity play zone. This area might be designed with a bushland theme.
Entry Experience
Signage and visual features are proposed to mark the entry clearly and provide a sense of arrival for visitors. The one-way road system provides a simple layout to avoid visitor confusion. This may be locked at night to manage after hours access.
Mango Trees
The mango trees are a key feature of the prominent avenue. Which forms the axis of the plaza area through the site. This axis is proposed to be reinforced through planting of additional feature tress.
Plaza Area
Forming the axis of the park, the plaza area will provide a central precinct for the café, gallery and amenities. It may also cater for a range of small scale events.
Signage
Signage is proposed to be integrated into park design themes and should provide a range of information for visitors.
Parking
Vehicular entry to the park is proposed via the Mt Lindesay Highway Service Road, where traffic is likely to be circulated around the Metro Park Zone. Areas for car parking will most likely be provided at nodes around the ring road for easy access to different park areas.
Coach parking is proposed adjacent to the formal gardens with easy access to the central plaza.
Q. What are the environmental values of the site? How will the high habitat values be maintained?
The bushland conservation zone provides high habitat values for a range of native animals. Hollow-bearing trees and nest boxes are present throughout the majority of the study area, providing habitat for a range of animals.
The watercourse located in the centre of the site provides valuable habitat for native frogs. The abundant ground layer vegetation, coarse leaf litter and fallen woody material favours a range of ground-dwelling fauna such as reptiles, frogs and small mammals.
Q. What are the goals for managing the environmental area?
- retain a viable fauna population on the site
- minimise impacts on native animals from any site activities through environmental controls and education
- maintain linkages and movement opportunities for animals
- protect the quality of the remaining on-site fauna habitat.
Q. Environmental connections
The site is important for providing habitat for a range of animals, including the kangaroos and other migratory species.
It is an important stepping stone between large patches of remnant bushland, such as Boronia Bushland Reserve and the Greenbank Military Reserve.
It is linked to the south by scattered vegetation on properties to other areas of remnant bushland.
Q. What is the Bushland Conservation Zone?
The vegetation of the bushland conservation zone is protected by state government laws preventing removal. It is made up of three types of vegetation:
- Open-forest - Eucalyptus racemosa
The excellent environmental condition of this area is a result of minimal infestation by weeds and the presence of a range of habitat features for native animals. - Open-forest - Melaleuca quinquenervia
The forest is mature and relatively undisturbed apart from some weeds along the forest edges. It provides a habitat for a range of animals and protects the drainage line. - Woodland - Allocasuarina littoralis
This area consists of a small patch dominated by Black She-oak (Allocasuarina littoralis). The understory is generally sparse due to a deep layer of leaf litter that has suppressed vegetation regeneration.
Q. How will you manage the kangaroos that currently reside in the parkland?
To minimise the impact on the kangaroo population, Council commissioned a Flora and Fauna Management Plan. This will guide the park's development in a way that is sympathetic to their needs.
The Flora and Fauna Management Plan recommends:
-
providing alternative grazing areas to discourage the kangaroos moving through the entire recreational precinct
-
designing lighting to prevent ‘spillage’ into bushland areas,
-
locating noise generating activities in the metro park zone.
Visitors will be advised not to feed any of the kangaroos through signage and education. It is hoped that over time the kangaroos will be a popular attraction at the site.
Council will continue to ensure adequate measure are in place to maitain public safety.
Q. Who will manage the parklands?
Council will manage the park in the same way as it does other Logan parks.
Q. How will Council power the site?
Infrastructure will be provided, including electricity, sewerage and stormwater management.
We have been investigating the use of solar power across the site that will generate enough power to manage the facilities.
Q. Can community groups and other users book sections of the park?
Residents will be able to make a booking through Council's Parks branch.
Q. Lighting/Safety
Safety of the park is paramount and the park will be developed according to Council's crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) principles.
Q. Will there be toilet facilities?
Amenities will be provided as the park is developed.
Q. Café - what is the purpose, what café is going in?
A cafe is proposed near the playground areas. This will be a facility that responds to the changing needs of the community and provides opportunities for a range of people that will visit the park area. The consultation phase will inform the interest from the community as to when the café is built.
Q. Transport to and from the park?
You will be able to access the park from the Western Service Road via a proposed ring road.
Public transport is currently available via buses servicing the Park Ridge town centre on the eastern side of the Mt Lindesay Highway.
The new Park Ridge park and ride is under construction, which is located 500 metres away from the park.
Q. Access from the highway - is it easy?
Access to the park is from the service road adjacent to Mt Lindesay Highway.
Q. Will there be time limits on parking within the park?
No. Council doesn't have time limits or charge for parking in our parks.
Q. Environment and Education Centre - what are we learning about?
The environment and education centre will provide for a range of age groups from primary school through to high school.
It is envisaged the centre will base studies around the curriculum and be pitched at the particular age groups of the school groups.
Examples include, information on sustainability - building design, land management water management, energy production and waste management.
