Construction starts for $6.374m Civic and Community Enterprise Centre (CCEC) in Cunnamulla

Construction is now completed on the new Civic and Community Enterprise Centre (CCEC) in Cunnamulla, a project worth a total of $6.374 million.

Funded by Department of Local Government, Racing and Multicultural Affairs and Paroo Shire Council, the new CCEC replaced the former Civic Centre which had become structurally unsound. The CCEC will be a multi-use facility for the whole community to use and enjoy with different size meeting rooms that can be hired out for community or business use, as well as computers with high-speed internet access. 

The building tender was awarded to D J Buckley Builders and is a joint initiative of Paroo Shire Council and the Queensland Government.

• In mid 2018 after a third-party engineering inspection, it was determined that the original Civic Centre building was structurally unsafe due to the foundations shifting and resulting in the building not being safe for use any longer. Council staff were moved out of the building and initial community feedback was facilitated by ELIA Architecture in August 2018 in order to create the first concept plans. The community and council staff presented some great ideas to ELIA, with as much as possible taken into consideration for the concept. Council approved the final concept design at the November 2018 Council meeting. 
• 2019 Council approved a tender to be distributed for the demolition of the existing building at the January 2019 Council meeting, and the tender was then awarded to Bourke Industries Pty Ltd in July 2019 with demolition works commencing on Monday 9 September 2019. Demolition works were completed over a two week period. Demolition information sheets were distributed to residents prior to the demolition works.
• ELIA Architecture visited again on Thursday 5 September 2019 for the next round of consultation that included Council, staff and the community. Feedback included the placement of services within the building, visual elements, and building features like natural light and access technologies.
• With the finalised concept in place, an Expression of Interest for the design and construction of the CCEC was put out in in December 2019, with the applications assessed and narrowed down to a tender process.
• At the April 2020 Council meeting the momentous decision was made to award the design and construction tender to D J Buckley Builders. Planning for construction commenced, with site works starting in July 2020.
• 28th April 2021 the building was officially opened The ribbon was cut by Deputy Director General, Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning, Natalie Wilde supported by Paroo Shire Mayor Suzette Beresford.