By Jeremy Sollars
Southern Downs councillors have voted in favour of the installation of a ‘Big Thermometer’ sculpture in Stanthorpe’s Rotary Park on the banks of Quart Pot Creek.
The plan was discussed at the general council meeting in Warwick, held on Thursday 16 February.
The ‘Big Thermometer’ has been commissioned by the Stanthorpe Chamber of Commerce and will be a 10-metre tall by four-metre wide ‘stone-finished’ thermometer made of local granite, to feature as a tourist attraction in Queensland’s coldest town.
Councillors agreed to fund a caravan parking bay near the sculpture, a concrete footpath and vegetation removal to enable its installation, at a cost of $31,418.
In other news from this week’s council meeting …
Dog off-leash area for Warwick
Councillors considered a petition calling for the above to be installed in one of our local parks, such as Federation Park near the river off Victoria Street, Victoria Park on Wallace Street near Warwick Hospital or Mel Gibson Park on Bracker Road.
Councillors noted the area would require suitable fencing and that Stanthorpe has a designated off-leash area which is currently not fenced. Council officers will prepare a report on potential locations and costings to present at the March council meeting.
Pedestrian crossing at Warwick Hospital
Residents also presented a petition to council this month for construction of pedestrian crossing between the Locke Street car park and the hospital.
The petition cites safety concerns for sick and elderly patients crossing the road and parents with young children.
Councillors noted that the speed limit on Locke Street at the hospital has been reduced to 40kmh, and that a crossing could result in the loss of up to 14 on-street car parking spaces and the bus stop.
Council officers will prepare a report for the April council meeting.
