Questions over $12 million Brisbane park purchase

An independent local councillor has questioned Brisbane City Council's decision to buy riverfront land for $12 million from a developer to turn into a park.

The Council recently announced that it had bought 2.9 hectares of land at Tennyson, in the city's south-west, from developer Mirvac.

The site adjoins two high-rise residential towers built by Mirvac, and was earmarked for a further three apartment towers until the land was flooded in January.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said council had seized the opportunity to create more public space for Brisbane residents, stating "this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to secure a large portion of riverfront land for the local community and surrounding suburbs."

However, Tennyson Councillor Nicole Johnston said she was surprised at the "strange" announcement, telling 612 ABC radio "it is a very strange thing to see council making this decision to spend millions of dollars to buy land when we already have parkland in that area that fronts the river.

"And the state government is about to dedicate another major chunk of land back as public green space."

Mirvac was given part of the site of the old Energex power station, now known as Tennyson Reach, by the Queensland Government in exchange for building the $60 million Queensland Tennis Centre and handing it back to the Government.

Lord Mayor Quirk said the new park would include an outdoor amphitheatre, an all-abilities children's playground, picnic shelters, a kick and throw area, cycling paths, public artwork and a public pontoon, all to be built by Mirvac as part of the $12 million sale.

It will be built in two stages, with the first due to be completed and open to the public by late 2012 and the final stage completed in the second half of 2013.

Lord Mayor said $12 million had been allocated in the council's budget for purchasing the land, subject to negotiation of further amenities and the approval processes of both parties.

A further $2 million has been set aside for the detailed design of parks at Coorparoo and Milton, where the council bought the site of the old Milton Tennis Centre from developer Seymour Group last year.

2nd August 2010 - ICONIC QUEENSLAND TENNIS VENUE TO BE REDEVELOPED AS PARKLAND

5th January 2009 - QUEENSLAND TENNIS CENTRE OPENS