2014-02-25 Infrastructure & Services Committee Meeting Agenda

INFRASTRUCTURE & SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                           25 FEBRUARY 2014


RECOMMENDATION

That Council note the report by the Manager of Community Services and Coordinator, Sport and
Community Development to the Infrastructure & Services Committee dated 25 February 2014
and:
A.   Agree that the preservation and enhancement of the heritage values and character of
     Wallace Park necessitates Tait Duke Cottage’s removal from Wallace Park;
B.   Invite Expression of Interests (EOI) from Community Groups for the relocation and
     utilisation of Tait Duke Cottage;
C.   Allocate funding of up to a fixed amount of $80,000 for the removal and relocation (including
     transport, restumping, site surveys, and reconnection of services) of the Cottage through the
     Heritage Levy subject to a successful EOI process; and
D.   Request the Chief Executive Officer to write to Mr John Duke advising of Council’s
     decision.



BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Following is a chronological order of the main proceedings that have transpired to date.

   At the Ordinary Meeting of the former Noosa Council on 29 April 2004 it was resolved that
    “Council note the report by the Community Services Director to the Works and Community
    Services Portfolio dated 20 April 2004 and accept the generous offer to receive and relocate
    the building described in the report, at a time to be determined at the sole discretion of the
    owner. The Mayor be requested to provide a letter of acceptance of the building and the
    conditions of the offer and express Council’s appreciation”

   At the Sunshine Coast Council General Committee Meeting in March 2009 a further report
    was requested on the preferred location, proposed use, tenancy arrangements, financing
    strategy, planning and heritage issues relating to the building.

   At the Sunshine Coast Council Ordinary Meeting on 14 May 2009 it was resolved to relocate
    Tait Duke Cottage situated at 84 Poinciana Avenue Tewantin to Wallace Park on a temporary
    basis pending emerging needs for a community use for the building.

   An Expression of Interest was undertaken in 2010 to enable Council to gauge interest by
    community groups in using the building and whether they had land, where it could be
    permanently sited or the capabilities to refurbish. None of the four submitters identified had
    available land or the capabilities to refurbish therefore the EOI process has remained on hold
    pending the determination of a permanent location for Tait Duke Cottage.

   At the Sunshine Coast Council Ordinary Meeting 10 May 2011 Council resolved to review the
    1989 Master Plan of the Wallace Estate (Wallace Park) prepared by John Mainwaring and
    Associates. The review of the original Master Plan undertaken by Sunshine Coast Council in
    2013 reviewed the future direction of the overall Wallace Park precinct and ascertained
    whether the Tait Duke Cottage could potentially remain on the precinct.

   One of the findings of this Wallace Park Master Plan review was that Tait Duke Cottage was
    an intrusion upon the cultural heritage values of Wallace Park and that adding another facility
    to the park would exacerbate an existing car parking and ancillary infrastructure shortfall. It
    was therefore recommended the Cottage be removed from Wallace Park.




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