Community & Business
18 July, 2024
Community to gather over pavilion future
A COMMUNITY meeting about the future of the Patrick English pavilion at Malanda will be held in Yungaburra later this month.
The meeting is open to anyone who wants to save the igloo from being demolished by Tablelands Regional Council in favour of a new multi-purpose building at the showgrounds.
Advocate Matt Lachlan said the meeting would provide information on what has happened to date that led to the much-loved building being closed over safety concerns with its structure.
Mr Lachlan and many other community members have been vocal in their criticism of the TRC for not maintaining the building over the years and of the lack of consultation with the community about its future.
He said it was important that the community was properly consulted and included in the decision-making process.
Mayor Rod Marti has publicly given a commitment that the community will be fully consulted in the near future about what should happen with the pavilion.
Mr Lachlan said the meeting would also seek to explore the possibility of forming a Malanda Community Group that could act as a conduit to the council to ensure that the views of the broader community were taken into account and not just those from “special interest groups”.
The meeting will be held on Saturday 27 July at 1pm at the Yungaburra Community Hall in Cedar Street.
Further information can be obtained by emailing save-the-malanda-igloo@hotmail.com or by texting to 0428 718 016.
Mr Lachlan has organised a petition which calls for the council to properly restore the building. It currently has around 1100 signatures and is available at a variety of noticeboards and businesses in Malanda, Atherton, Yungaburra, Ravenshoe and Millaa Millaa. (full list of locations on The Express website).
