Southern Downs Regional Council wants the views of the Allora community on a number of important matters including the Allora Senior Citizens Centre, Allora Library, Allora Sports Museum and Allora Community Hall.

Locals are asking why is there a connection between the Community Hall and other facilities?

With the ownership of the Allora Senior Citizens Centre transferring to Council shortly, a decision needs to be made on the best use of this facility as well as impacts on the Allora Hall and Allora Sports Museum.

Southern Downs Mayor Vic Pennisi encourages the Allora community to provide input through Council’s Allora Community Halls and Precincts Survey.

“As part of the consultation process, Council is considering the possibility of relocating the Allora Library & Council Customer Service Centre to the Allora Senior Citizens Centre, which could allow for the expansion of the Allora Sports Museum,” Mayor Pennisi said.

“A third component of the community consultation is for Council to consider the financial investment required to upgrade the Allora Hall and whether this is the most effective use of limited resources given other options available.

“There are a number of issues to consider to effectively meet the growing needs of the Allora community including long-term maintenance of each building, suitability for the activities, the capacity of each venue and the financial investment required to bring each building up to standard.

“Council has limited funds and it is imperative to get decisions around the Allora community halls and precincts right the first time around.”

To complete the survey go to www.surveymonkey.com/r/7JWWMTG before 5pm Friday week 8 December 2023.

For those without access to computers hard copies will be available at the Allora Library. Also library staff will be on hand to assist the community complete the survey online.

Some of the questions asked in the Survey –

• Do you consider the Allora Senior Citizens building a suitable home for the Allora Library and Customer Service Centre?
• How important is the Allora Sports Museum to you?
• Would you like to see the Allora Sports Museum expanded? Noting that this would require the relocation of the Allora Library & Customer Service Centre.
• If the Allora Senior Citizens building is transformed into a community hub that includes the Allora Library, Council Customer Service and a meeting place for the community, how important would it be to also invest significantly in the upgrading of the main Allora Community Hall?
• If the Allora Senior Citizens building is transformed into a community hub, that includes the Allora Library, Council Customer Service and a meeting place for the community, there will be a need to remove the old Fire Shed to address the septic tank issues. How important is the unoccupied fire shed to you?

This week The Allora Advertiser put questions to the Council and received this response from a Council Spokesperson –

Q – The Community Hall is a separate issue. If Tenders closed mid November for contractors to repair the Hall why is there a question asked about the importance of the Hall to the community?

The survey is focused on the Library, Senior Citizens Centre and the Sports Museum to provide Council with a greater level of understanding of the community sentiment prior to making decisions on these facilities. Decisions surrounding the Allora Community Hall and the old Fire Shed will need to progress in due course, and one question on each was included in the survey to provide some initial high level input from the community. While tenders closed for hall repairs in mid-November, Council wants to understand the importance of the facility to the community to assist decision-making with consideration to repair costs.

Q – Also the Allora Fire Station being removed, why? The Allora Advertiser has been told the current septic system services the 3 buildings so why does that need to change?

While the current septic system services the buildings, it is undersized and provides a service across multiple allotments. It can only be fixed through the creation of additional area. Council cannot continue to develop the precinct without this rectification, which again makes the question important in providing information on community sentiment.

This article appeared in the Allora Advertiser, 29 November 2023.