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Springfield Rolls Out Plans to be the World’s Greenest City by 2038

By 2038, Greater Springfield will become the “model community of the future” as the Springfield City Group starts its ambitious transformation into the world’s greenest city.

Featured with houses with solar panels on every roof, electric car charging stations everywhere, hydrogen-powered buses and other advances in green technology, the strategic sustainable plan is a collaboration between French energy giant ENGIE, its subsidiary Tractebel, and the Springfield City Group. The partnership was established in 2018.

The investment is reportedly worth more than $3 billion, with 100 percent of the power usage turned into renewable energy. The development will also see Greater Springfield residents enjoying 30 percent of natural green space.

The five pillars of this project are focused on the following:

Urban – Greenspace mixed with urban agriculture and green transport routes.
Mobility- Reduction of average cars per household whilst improving EV charging infrastructure, including paths for electric scooters and bicycles
Buildings – Bioclimactic designs with solar protection and energy-efficient system
Energy – 100 percent renewable, with improved energy storage and hydrogen refueling
Digital – Innovative smart city solutions

Chairman Maha Sinnathamby said that Springfield, with its current 45,000 population, is ideal for this project as the nation’s fastest-growing community.

“We have one chance – and the responsibility to our residents – to get this right and be an ongoing example for others to follow,” Mr Sinnathamby said. “The focus on efficient and sustainable energy production, storage, and integration with the community has never been more important for Australia and for us. I’m confident that ENGIE can assist us to be a world leader in innovative and smart city solutions.”

In line with this project, some buildings within the city’s business district have started rolling out rooftop solar, including Orion Shopping Centre and the Springfield Tower.

View the complete report of this project online.

The $5.8 Million Engineering Building Expansion at USQ Springfield, Ipswich Commences

Photo credit: University of Southern Queensland / usq.edu.au

University of Southern Queensland has announced the commencement of the $5.8-million expansion of its engineering building.

The USQ expansion project will have its single-storey building converted into a two-storey structure that will quadruple its teaching, learning, and research capacity. The school said that project will be the biggest undertaken at the campus since they opened the $45-million second major building in 2015.

Head of Civil Engineering and Surveying, Professor Kevin McDougall, said that the project is a significant investment that will provide students more opportunities to develop their technical and practical engineering and surveying skills utilizing the latest technology. He also stressed that engineers and surveyors play a crucial role in shaping our world and that their skills are critical in the nation’s economic recovery efforts post pandemic.

Photo credit: University of Southern Queensland / usq.edu.au

“We want to make sure our students have the best facilities and opportunities to learn, and ensure our graduates have the sought-after skills that industry needs, both now and into the future,” Professor Kevin McDougall said.

“It will also expand our capacity to conduct leading-edge research and work with industry to contribute to the development of new knowledge and solutions that address real-world problems.”

Quadric was contracted to undertake the expansion project which is expected to be completed in time for the start of Semester 1, 2021 and would provide learning spaces for the University’s comprehensive suite of engineering and surveying programs at Springfield.

Features of the expanded engineering building include:

• Civil engineering laboratory with separate concrete mixing

• Curing and durability facility

• Robotics and automation laboratory with fabrication facilities

• Student collaboration space

• Seminar room

• Surveying preparation room

• Heat treatment, fire testing and materials testing and metrology laboratories

• Mechanical engineering and fluid dynamics laboratory

• Electronics laboratory

• Communications laboratory

• Electrical power laboratory

The building, designed by dwp Architects, will have multiple built-in sensors throughout the structure that will allow students to conduct real-time monitoring of the building’s structural health performance. The system will facilitate the measurement of the structure’s critical and dynamic characteristics including strain-stress, deflection, frequencies and mode shapes.

Professor McDougall described it as a “living lab” that will provide both students and visitors with valuable opportunities for research and teaching collaboration across various disciplines.

Ipswich Adopts 2 Types of Six-Month Free Parking Trials

Motorists using the on-street and off-street parking spaces around the Ipswich city centre will enjoy new parking options under two types of free parking trials adopted by the Ipswich City Council.

The trials were introduced on Monday, 26 Oct 2020, and will run until the end of April 2021.

The scheme will cover around 3,500 unrestricted or time-managed parking spaces, whilst approximately 710 spaces will be subjected to priced parking.

Parking trial 1 includes the free use of CBD parking spaces for 15 minutes. Parking trial 2 includes the lifting of the time and pay restrictions of on-street parking during Saturdays, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Motorists are encouraged to look at the new City of Ipswich Parking Pricing Strategy and share their comments or feedback about the free parking trials in the comment box.

Prior to the trial, Ipswich City Council’s parking pricing around the CBD were as follows:

TIME	PRICE
0.5 hr	$0.70
1 hr	$1.40
2 hrs	$2.80
3 hrs	$4.20
4 hrs	$5.60
9 hrs	$7.00

“It is great news for the business community and for people coming to the CBD. Some of the most common complaints have been from motorists having to pay for a brief stop in the city centre,” Deputy Mayor Marnie Doyle said. “[Feedback] is particularly important at this time, with the Ipswich Central redevelopment nearing completion, that we learn what works best for motorists and businesses in the CBD.”

Win Free Ice Cream for 3 Months at Ungermann Brothers

Craving for a scoopful of happiness? Here’s how you can snag free ice cream for three months!! Ungermann Brothers at Limestone Street in Ipswich has created a gourmet Mystery Go Pink ice cream for Breast Cancer Awareness month this October, and you can win free ice cream if you can guess this secret flavour.

To taste the ice cream (hint: it’s pink and has nuts!), take home a tub or buy a scoop at Ungermann Brothers from their Ipswich store, their Gold Coast outlet, or online. Each purchase is equivalent to an entry stub, which gives you a chance to guess the mystery flavour.

Part of the proceeds of this contest will go towards the West Moreton Breast Cancer Research Project to boost projects like establishing a virtual breast cancer care clinic or improving support facilities for after-surgery procedures.

“What we want to do is expand on the existing after-surgery consultations, which focus on physical assessment and symptom management, to provide a comprehensive assessment of patient’s psychosocial health and quality of life,” West Moreton Health’s McGrath Breast Care Nurse Karen Miles said.

For more information about the research project, visit West Moreton Health online.

Ungermann Brothers Ipswich will continue to accept online orders for delivery until Friday, 23 Oct 2020 but you may keep guessing the mystery flavour in-store until the end of the month.

The winner will be notified on or before 9 Nov 2020. Follow their Facebook page for updates.

Ungermann Brothers is owned and managed by Danny Ungermann, who left the corporate world more than seven years ago to concentrate on this local business. All ingredients at the ice cream sources are locally sourced and prepared in-house.

Coffee Guru Brookwater: Springfield Lakes Couple’s Venture Pays Off Amid the Pandemic

Gregory and Vickey Slack have no regrets about launching their cafe, Coffee Guru Brookwater, in the middle of the pandemic. The restaurant located at the Brookwater Village Shopping Centre has built up its regular customers eight weeks since its opening day whilst new customers continue to visit the restaurant.

The Slacks took on the chance to run a cafe at the height of the COVID-19 scare in April 2020 after Coffee Club permanently closed. Despite the ill-timed opportunity, the couple worked on building their restaurant and opened in the middle of August.

Every day since the opening, customers would line up at Coffee Guru Brookwater before 7:00 a.m. for their coffee fix and brekkies. The couple said that many of their customers have expressed concern for opening a food business at this uncertain time.

But Gregory and Vickey are happy to say that business has been brisk, thanks to the support of the locals. Although, Gregory admits that apprehensions and worries have crossed his mind during one rare instance when it had been slow and quiet at the cafe.

Locals, however, seem to love coming back to Coffee Guru Brookwater because of the service and the food. Whilst the store is a franchise of an NSW-based company, it is still independently managed and owned by the Slacks.

Coffee Guru Brookwater serves all-day breakfast and lunch daily, while Fridays from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. are for Tapa Nights. Aside from the delicious coffee, diners may also enjoy wine, beer and spirits on their drink lists.

The restaurant is pet friendly. For trading hours and other cafe updates, visit their Facebook page.

“The owners Vic and Greg were lovely, everything seemed very clean and was well sanitised. The breakfast was really good and came out quick. They had a great display of sweet treats and savoury snacks up the front too. Will have to come back for lunch.”
Erin Clarke, Google Reviews

“Coffee Guru is a must! Best Bircher I’ve had for a long time. Menu is fantastic. Service is always amazing. The tapas night on Friday’s is SO delicious. We love it here.”
Bianca Mulligan, Facebook

Springfield Greenbank Arterial Project: Major Road Duplication to Prioritise Stage 3

Key roads in the Springfield region will undergo major upgrades in 2021 under the Springfield Greenbank Arterial (SGA) Duplication project. Work will start with Stage 3, which covers Eden Station Drive to Sinnathamby Boulevard.

According to MP Charis Mullen, the Ipswich City Council decided to change the SGA sequencing to start with Stage 3 “given the other major projects in the area.”

“This was in a letter sent to residents recently,” Ms Mullen said.

Stage 3’s key features include the following:

Road widening to four lanes
Springfield Greenbank Arterial/Main Street/Centenary Highway roundabout upgraded with signalised intersection
New entrance/exit at the Springfield Central Railway Station carpark
Construction of road cycle lanes for cyclists and pedestrians

The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) plans to erect a multi-storey carpark at the Main Street intersection before the roadwork begins.

This Springfield Greenbank Arterial project is necessary to meet the travel demands that will come with city’s rapid growth.

“The overall project includes 3.9 km of road duplication and shared path upgrades. The project is set to be the largest single road project in the Council’s history,” the fact sheet stated. “With such a large capital cost to the Council, if delivered in a single year, the project would consume over half of the typical capital works budget. By spreading the costs across a number of stages, the project can be delivered over multiple years, and allows for Council to continue to deliver its usual portfolio of new roads, road rehabilitation, open space, drainage and facilities project.”

The timing of construction will still be determined but it is approximated to take 12 months to complete.

For questions about the Springfield Greenbank Arterial project, phone 07 3810 6666 or email IED.Projects@ipswich.qld.gov.au.

First Names Picked for New Ipswich CBD Development

The Ipswich City Council announced the names of the new sites taking shape at the Nicholas Street precinct development, following a survey in August.

After deliberations on 24 Sept. 2020, the Council endorsed the top names residents have chosen for the new library, new civic space, and a laneway.

Some 304 residents submitted their name suggestions whilst over 6,500 voted on their choices for the upcoming CBD.

The Ipswich Central Library is set to open soon as the building’s construction is in the process of completing this October.

“Ipswich Central Library is a very practical name for the new general library that aligns with naming conventions of other libraries across the city,” Ipswich Central Redevelopment Committee chairperson Deputy Mayor Marnie Doyle said.

Tulmur Place will be the name of the new civic square, where entertainment and community events will take place.

“Tulmur means Ipswich in the universal Indigenous language and I very pleased this council has seen fit to recognise our city’s Indigenous heritage in selecting this name for the new civic plaza,” Ms Doyle said.

The laneway will still retain its more commonly known name as Bottle Alley.

“While the laneway has been widely known as Bottle Alley for many years, it has in fact never been officially named. Today’s decision locks in the name.”

The new precinct will be generally known as Nicholas Street Precinct, covering Brisbane, Ellenborough, Bremer and Bell streets.

“Retaining the Nicholas Street Precinct name makes sense because it is a well-known and long established name for the area. It has also been widely used in recent years in marketing and promotion for the precinct.”

Five key spaces, including the children’s library and the new council administration building, will still need names once the new CBD’s development is completed. Many of the residents’ suggested recognised personalities like tennis superstar Ash Barty and bagpiper Joe McGee, as well as the region’s first peoples.

Located 40 minutes outside of Brisbane CBD, Nicholas Street will become the trade centre for 215,000 residents. Apart from the library and the civic plaza, the site will also become a commercial, retail, lifestyle and dining precinct with the first shops opening by mid-2021.

Springfield Amcal Transforms Into Discount Drug Store With Larger Range and Lower Prices

Springfield Amcal has been quite busy in the past few weeks as it readies to transform into the Springfield Fair Discount Drug Store. Beginning October, the neighbourhood pharmacy will have a different look, lowered prices, and an expanded range of products but with the same excellent customer service.

Renovations in the store are projected to finish by 24 Sept 2020, after more than four weeks of sprucing and expanding the site.

Some services continued amidst these changes and when Springfield Fair Discount Drug Store officially trades, it will carry over the same convenient opening hours and friendly team.

The sales team is also getting their new uniforms!

“A big thank you to our customers for your patience and understanding during our month of renovations!,” the store staff said on Facebook.

A big thank you to our customers for your patience and understanding during our month of renovations! We have less than…
Posted by Springfield Amcal on Wednesday, September 16, 2020

But as part of its transition, any Springfield Amcal rewards points will have to be redeemed until 30 Sept 2020. The rewards system will shut down beginning in October.

“The good news is that our prices will drop by more than the 5% the rewards saved you,” a store representative stated.

The price changes have been in effect and some customers have noticed the big difference, especially for prescription medications.

Springfield Fair Discount Drug Store will also keep the gift shop section filled with homewares, jewellery, handbags and other knick-knacks.

Follow their Facebook page for more store updates.

Springfield Lakes and Ipswich Popular Picks for FHLDS Scheme With First Home Buyers

Springfield Lake and Ipswich’s housing markets have been getting a boost from first home buyers despite COVID-19 restrictions.

A recent report from the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC) showed that these are two of the hottest sites where buyers secured a First Home Loan Deposit Scheme (FHLDS).

Whilst 62.2 percent of buyers preferred the major cities, more than half of first home buyers had homes 15 to 30 minutes away from the CBD. Nearly 70 percent of the buyers picked detached houses, 25 percent chose apartments whilst fiver percent bought a townhouse unit.

Of the 1850 FHLDS issued in the last six months, 70 percent were homes from the 4350 postcode comprising Toowoomba, Newton and Centenary Heights, among others. About 56 percent of buyers took deposits in Ipswich and the rest of postcode 4305. Postcode 4300, comprising Springfield, Brookwater, Goodna and Camira, was also in the top ten of preferred areas.

According to Realestate.com.au chief economist Nerida Conisbee, Springfield Lakes is attractive to buyers because there are heaps of new homes and potential building activities.

Queensland introduced the FHLDS on 1 Jan 2020, allowing 10,000 new homeowners to acquire a property by depositing just five percent of the value. Under the scheme, the government serves as the guarantor for the rest of the 15 percent, reducing the cost of mortgage insurance that normally comes with a 20 percent deposit for house purchases.

Hooning Crackdown in Ipswich Accelerated with New Law, High-Tech Cameras

The days of reckless driving, doing burnouts and racing — otherwise known as “hooning” — are numbered in Ipswich as the Police Minister announced a crackdown on these activities with a new law and the installation of new high-tech cameras.

Minister for Police and Minister for Corrective Services Mark Ryan said that the Government plans to shift the “onus of proof” to the owner of the vehicle. Under this law, the burden of proof will be on the car owners’ shoulders if they claim that they weren’t driving when the offence was committed.

To complement this proposed new law, upgraded high-tech cameras with night vision will be installed across traffic networks in the state. Traffic police will also be equipped with a new fleet of drones to go after the hoons.

“These changes will provide police with enhanced flexibility when dealing with gatherings of hoons,” Mr Ryan said in a statement. “For example, if dozens of cars were hooning in a particular location, police would be able to use these new hi-tech cameras to capture images of all the vehicles.

“The high-resolution images would allow police to identify each vehicle, and then proceed to take action against the registered owner, unless the owner could demonstrate they weren’t driving at the time.

“The expanded laws would apply to a greater range of traffic offences caught on camera. An offender would no longer be able to avoid prosecution by simply masking their identities and denying they had been behind the wheel.”

Charges of hooning or theft shall be filed against the drivers. Charis Mullen MP, the State Member for Jordan, welcomed the move given that Ipswich is a known hooning hotspot in Queensland.

“Hooning is a serious issue in our #Jordan community and our residents are rightly fed up!” Ms Mullen said in a post on Facebook. “Thank you to all those who have contacted me about this – I have used your experiences to help push for more action.”

Current Hooning Strategy

Roads in Queensland already have these hooning tactics:

Intelligence-driven enforcement with covert patrols
Monitoring of all forms of social media to take swift action
Hoon Hotline 13HOON
High-visibility patrols
Dedicated Road Policing officers
POLAIR aerial surveillance
Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology
Road safety camera trailers
Thousands of traffic cameras across the state
Police drone fleet

Commissioner Katarina Carroll of the Queensland Police Service commended the additional strategy.

“Hooning is not only anti-social in its impacts on the community, but potentially life-endangering for the hoons and innocent road users,” Ms Carroll said. “The community rightly expects hooning behaviour to be addressed and the QPS remains committed to targeting hoons and other unsafe driving behaviours.”