Hinchinbrook’s most popular community spaces in Ingham are set to reopen after extensive mould from one of the region’s biggest flood events caused their closure nearly four months ago.
It is the first time in the TYTO Precinct’s 16-year history that Ingham’s Hinchinbrook Shire Library and TYTO Regional Art Gallery had closed due to a weather event, but it will officially open its doors tomorrow (11 June).
Hinchinbrook Shire Council Mayor, Ramon Jayo said the community spaces reopening is a significant milestone as part of the community’s recovery and a testament to their resilience.
“Although the building itself wasn’t directly impacted by floodwaters, the aftermath led to substantial mould growth, making the space unsafe. Council acted swiftly to address the issue, and we’re proud to welcome the community back into a clean, safe, and revitalised facility,” Mayor Jayo said.
“Thank you to the community for their patience and understanding during the closure and thank you to Council staff and specialist contractors involved to get these services up and running again.”
The $200,000 remediation works involved the removal of mould, air quality testing, refurbishment of affected areas, and the installation of improved ventilation and climate control systems to reduce future risk.
The Ingham-based library’s annual loan of over 10,200 paperbacks and digital books, with more than 27,200 visitors, including the Halifax sub-branch since July last year. The Halifax library has welcomed 4,259 loans in during the same time since July last year and has been operational since shortly after the February floods.
Meanwhile, the Hinchinbrook Visitor Information Centre at the precinct will remain closed until further notice until flood recovery works are completed. A temporary site is operating in the meantime near the centre.
Visit Hinchinbrook Shire Library online at www.library.hinchinbrook.qld.gov.au and TYTO Regional Art Gallery at www.gallery.hinchinbrook.qld.gov.au for trading hours and for more information.
