The Week In Council with Jim Madden

Councillor Jim Madden from Division 4 of Ipswich City Council discusses various capital works and flood recovery projects in his area. Minor works include bus stop upgrades and footpath construction, while major projects involve flood damage repairs to roads. He also highlights the council’s Active and Healthy Program aimed at promoting physical activity and combating risk factors for heart disease. Over 18,000 people have participated in the program, which offers a variety of activities such as yoga and walking. Jim encourages listeners to engage in active lifestyles and mentions the availability of programs on the council’s website.

00:00
It is a Friday and we always like to find out what’s been happening in your division with Ipswich City Council. We’re going to Division 4 today and Councillor Jim Madden, good morning Jim. Good morning Damien and good morning listeners. I’m delighted to be here. It is good to talk to you mate and good to see some capital works happening around Division 4. There’s plenty going on in capital works, it’s through City Council Damien but some of it might be regarded as minor works but others regard as major works.

00:29
One of the minor works we’re doing is upgrading bus stops in Hill Street in Tivoli, between Pies Street and Willard Street and Damien. It’s all to do with making our bus stops more friendly with people with a disability. It looks like we’re going to start on the first of May and should be finished within a couple of weeks after that. As well as that, Damien, we’re building a new footpath in Workshop Street, grassholt between Hudder Street and Vogel Road. That’ll be duplicating the existing footpath on the…

00:57
on the north side of the road with a new footpath on the south side of the road. Damien, that’s Sutton Park area when the Sockers are on an extremely busy part of town. And finally, Damien, and I’m sure the people of Faguna are clapping their hands about this, we’ve just finished reconstructing a culvert on Adelong Avenue and now we can commence on resurfacing the entire length of Adelong Avenue at Faguna, which I know the people of Faguna have been waiting for for a very long time. Damien?

01:24
Yeah and of course those works have been in the design phase and well now we’re into the construction which is good. Yeah the works that we did with regard to the culvert and the design work we’re all in the 2023-24 budget and the construction work will be funded in the 2024-25 budget that’s going to be delivered in June of this year Damien. All right now project information and updates for other capital work projects in Division 4.

01:49
are available on Council’s Civic Maps tool on the website. So you can check it out there and see what’s happening with that. Now, something else that’s very important to the City of Ipswich is the flood recovery coordination works and Council’s busy in that area, too. Extremely busy, Damien. And just so you know, and listeners know, we’re talking about the flood events in early 2022 and during those events, about 365 kilometres of sealed roads in Ipswich were ward damaged.

02:19
So we’ve engaged a qualified contractor to undertake the necessary repairs and the works are being done in Division 4 at Brassill, North Ipswich and the Western Corridor. But I know the people of Rosewood will be very pleased to hear this, Damien, where shortly we’ll commence work on reconstruction work on Railway Street in Rosewood. And weather permitting, this work should be finished by about the middle of June.

02:44
And also Kingsley Avenue at Walloon, we’re undertaking flood recovery work there and unfortunately Damien as with these things there’ll be some disruption with stop-go people and you know moving machinery around but it’s all there for a good work and that is repairing the roads after the 2022 floods in Division 4, Damien. Yep, and of course some weekend or night works may be required on those projects, but largely it’ll be done during the daytime between 7 a.m. And 5 p.m. And of course

03:14
Council does appreciate the patience and cooperation of the community while they undertake those essential works. Now, of course, this week Jim is looking after your heart in Heart Week. We have been encouraged to get active. We are Damien. We’ve all been encouraged to get active and Council is playing an incredibly important role in Heart Week through its active and healthy program. It looks like that six out of ten people are having at least one risk factor Damien.

03:43
smoking, harmful use of alcohol and physical inactivity or obesity and the whole point of the Active and Healthy Program is to get us all over those problems and we want to see a healthier society in Ipswich and this is an unbelievably successful program Damien. Over 18,554 people have been involved in the program so far.

04:06
and that includes a range of about 1,100 activities, events and workshops. And Damien, those sort of events that we’re talking about might be something like yoga, aqua fitness, mums and bums on Zumba, and there’s something there for everyone, Damien. But walking is the recommended, most popular way for people to exercise. In Nipchwich Damien, we’re blessed with so many good places to walk. Even in the centre of town, Damien.

04:36
around the CBD, around Crip Park at North Ipswich. But further out, we’ve got wonderful reserves with the Goulman Nature Reserve and also Limestone Park. Ipswich really has wonderful facilities for people to get out and get active and we’ll all benefit from them doing so through the active and healthy activities. Exactly, and you can log on to Council’s website and sign up to an active and healthy activity this week.

05:05
It’s quick, easy, and your heart’s gonna thank you. And Jim, my heart is always trying to thank me, but it never does. I know it does. Same with me, Damien. My heart doesn’t think that. Yeah. Jim, always good to chat, mate, and we’ll look forward to doing it again real soon. I hope so, Damien. I thank you, and I thank the listeners. Thank you. It’s a pleasure. There we go, Councillor Jim Madden joining us there from Division Four.