Sunshine Coast residents and visitors agree – Mooloolaba's central foreshore should be a meeting space that is inclusive and accessible for all.
This key theme was revealed through recent community feedback sought to help shape the future of the well-loved area, which included meetings with 12 stakeholder groups and more than 1000 completed surveys.
Sunshine Coast Council's Acting Group Executive for Liveability and Natural Assets Bill Haddrill said the engagement provided a clear view of community values for Mooloolaba's future Central Meeting Place and thanked respondents for their feedback.
"Participants agreed Mooloolaba's stunning beaches and outstanding natural beauty were the hero for the foreshore," Mr Haddrill said.
"Community values for the revitalised Central Meeting Place included a desire for more open grass space, retaining ocean views and enhancing Mooloolaba's reputation as a world-class destination."
Survey results indicated the future Central Meeting Place should be accessible for all users (92 per cent), provide access to an area with views of the ocean and bay (90 per cent), offer a place to sit and meet friends in all seasons (89 per cent), and consider public safety (86 per cent).
Council also acknowledged the receipt of a community petition which calls for the Loo with a View and viewing decks to be retained in its current location and renovated.
"Independent engineering and accessibility assessments have deemed many components of the 25 year old Loo with a View building as 'beyond repair' and not compliant with current People with Disability Access or modern sustainable building design standards," Mr Haddrill said.
"Council will now consider the community feedback, engineering reports as well as any state authority approvals and funding requirements to develop some design concepts.
"These will be presented back to the community for input later this year."
Mr Haddrill said the community was also asked about food and drink outlet options for the recently completed Northern Parkland, but there was no clear outcome based on the community's feedback.
"Given that a definitive direction was not achieved, further investigations will now take place to determine any potential food and drink options for this section of the Mooloolaba foreshore.
"This will include feasibility studies regarding operational logistics, provision of utility services, environmental factors and discussions with the relevant regulatory bodies.
"Council will continue to keep the community informed."
The Central Meeting Place is prioritised for the next stage of construction and is located near the Brisbane Road entry point to Mooloolaba Esplanade. It is intended to be a place where our community can arrive, meet, gather, celebrate and connect with nature and each other.
A summary of the survey is now available on the Sunshine Coast Council website.
For details on the Mooloolaba Foreshore Revitalisation or to register for project updates including future community engagement, visit sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/mfr.
