Council needs your help to name the places and spaces in new city centre
11 August 2020
Ipswich City Council is inviting people to have their say on the naming of new places and spaces in the redeveloped city centre, as part of a three-week community engagement campaign.
The heart of Ipswich is undergoing a once-in-a-generation redevelopment to create a vibrant inner-city hub of entertainment, dining, shopping, business and fun, with stage one set to open by the end of 2020.
As the new city centre continues to take shape, Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said she was excited to launch this great opportunity for the people of Ipswich to share their ideas on names for nine new and existing precincts, including event and function spaces, historic laneways, the civic plaza and new buildings.
“As a new council, our focus is on a spirit of cooperation, open communication and collaboration, starting with this exciting opportunity to submit names for consideration that acknowledge the city’s rich, proud history,” she said.
Those wishing to take part in the community consultation should visit council’s Shape Your Ipswich website.
You can suggest naming options for the development’s new 10,000m2 civic plaza, the city library, children’s library, two new function venues, council’s new administration building, two historical laneways and the overall entertainment, dining, shopping and business precinct.
Council has included historical information on existing places and spaces that could be renamed, as well as some fresh ideas for consideration. The aim of the engagement process is to create a long list for consideration.
The community will have three weeks, between 10 and 30 August, to have its say.
Deputy Mayor and Chair of the Ipswich Central Redevelopment Committee Marnie Doyle said that consultation represented an incredible opportunity to honour the city’s rich, diverse heritage and history, and to celebrate the proud, successful people who have called Ipswich home.
“We want our residents to join us on the redevelopment journey and to feel a sense of pride and ownership in their new city centre,” Cr Doyle said.
“The new development will be the community’s place to work, shop, play, dine and be entertained so we want them to be part of the naming process.
“We are really excited about seeing what our residents come up with.”
While the suggested names need to adhere to council’s naming policy, which can be found on the Shape Your Ipswich page, all ideas will be considered by the Mayor and councillors, with the final decisions to be made at council’s monthly meeting in September.
Visit www.shapeyouripswich.com.au before 30 August and follow the links to view the map of the precinct and register your ideas.
Ipswich, this is your city centre, your future. Have your say today.
Fast facts:
Over the last century and a half, the precinct and its laneways have been known by a number of different names.
* The name Nicholas Street has been around for 177 years. It appears on the earliest map of Ipswich/Limestone in the 1843 survey along with Brisbane, Bell, Ellenborough, Bremer, South, Roderick, Court and Grey Streets.
* The alley linking Nicholas and Ellenborough Streets was used in the mid-1800s as a delivery route to the hotel located in Nicholas Street.
* The laneway that links Nicholas and Brisbane Streets has never had an official name. Some suggestions include Supply Lane, as it was used as a delivery route for merchants in Nicholas Street, or Greenham’s Lane, named for the family who first owned the commercial buildings on the corner of Nicholas and Brisbane Streets.
* Over the years, the precinct bordered by Brisbane, Ellenborough, Bremer and Bell Streets has been known by many different names including the Ipswich Mall and Ipswich City Square.