Capalaba in Queensland’s Redland Shire is undergoing major change with the opening of the new $8.6 million Capalaba Place.
“Having evolved from an intersection with a petrol station and a few shops to a thriving suburb, the area has never really had a sense of place,” said Redland Mayor, Cr Eddie Santaguiliana. “Council’s planners were given the challenging task of creating a town centre where none existed.”
Located in the fastest growing region of Australia, Capalaba Place will provide a town centre and focal point for the Shire’s thriving business community.
In building the centre, Council had to make the conscious decision to invest substantial funds at a time when private and public sector companies are cutting investment. By so doing Council believes it will be a catalyst for increased private sector investment.
The scope of the enterprise is enormous resulting in the second largest business centre in South East Queensland. The town centre covers 21 hectares and the current floorspace occupied by business and industry is 300,000 square metres.
Through a consultation process, the community has been involved in the project from the beginning, ensuring local residents have ownership of the project. More than 2000 local people, from community artists to major companies, visited the centre in the first week of its opening to see Council’s handiwork. Small business is not being ignored with Council seeking funding from the Main Street Program to enhance properties and improve marketing techniques for smaller traders.
Over the next 10 years, when the area’s population is expected to grow by 40,000, Capalaba Place should continue to develop as the Shire’s commercial centre, providing a major boost for economic growth and development.
For further information, telephone Tracy Ryan on (07) 3286 8686
