Call for Waltons to be resumed

NEWS

The ALP’s Lord Mayoral candidate Ray Smith and Central Ward candidate Paul Crowther have called on the State Government to resume the Walton’s building in Fortitude Valley and reopen the public walkway immediately.

The call to turn the building from a “liability into an asset” comes as an eight-week closure of the public walkway through the Walton’s building has resulted in an estimate $2 million loss of revenue for traders, with several on the verge of closing their doors.
Ray Smith and Paul Crowther said the site was significant as a walkway to Queensland Rail’s third busiest train station and for its potential as a cultural “catalyst” for the Valley. "This building has thousands of square meters which haven’t been used for more than two decades," Mr Smith said.
"Most of the building is locked up. It is heritage listed and has nominal value in its current state. The decision of the owners, Mount Cathay Pty Ltd, to close the doors of the walkway which connects the train station to other buildings in the Valley has been economically devastating for the area.
"Over recent weeks, the Lord Mayor and his Administration have failed to take any action to help these traders or get the walkway reopened, and his dithering attitude just isn’t good enough.
"If there was a resumption of this building for public transport purposes, the state could maintain the walkway as an important asset for the adjacent train station. This could be the opportunity to fix up the Walton’s building once and for all. "Council could also look at working with the state to develop the main part of the building for a much-needed cultural and community centre including a local library. "All the great cities of the world have turned old derelict buildings into assets. This is a perfect candidate for that Cinderella conversion right here in the Valley. "Council has proposed a Valley Plan which anticipates up to 20,000 additional residents and another 50,000 office workers moving to the Valley over the next 20 years. Their plan provides for a library at some point in the future, but now is the opportunity to take this asset for the community and deliver community infrastructure for an area which will be the second CBD of Brisbane."
Mr Smith said his call comes six months after his party released its Valley policy, Revaluing the Valley. That policy promised a ‘get-tough’ approach to Valley businesses who did not maintain their buildings.
"The Walton’s building is one of the most strategic buildings in the Valley. It is on the doorstep of the Valley train station. It is the first building people walk through when they come out of the Valley Metro station," Paul Crowther said. "Instead of being a 'sow’s ear', we could and should turn this into a 'silk purse'. Instead of a liability to the Valley, it should be an asset."