Things are looking bright in Ipswich with the completion of Council’s biggest rooftop solar system on top of the Ipswich Central Library.
The installation of the 200-kilowatt system, made up of about 400 solar panels, was a landmark moment in Council’s response to climate change and unlocked an estimated $29,000 per year in savings on energy costs for ratepayers.
It is also good news for the environment, expected to generate more than 270 megawatts of energy per year, reducing Council’s carbon footprint by an estimated 230 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
In other environmental news, residents may have noticed that Council also completed significant works on the Riverview Resource Recovery Centre two weeks ahead of schedule, ensuring the facility is more efficient, user friendly and more sustainable moving forward.
This included upgrades to the pit walls and ramp, with both sides of the pit now reopened for use. The Riverview Resource Recovery Centre has been servicing the Ipswich community for 40 years now, and these works will ensure it remains fit for purpose in the coming decades.
In business news, we are continuing to support our city’s more than 12,500 small businesses by renewing our commitment to being a Small Business Friendly Council. I am proud that Ipswich was the first council in Queensland to join this program in 2020 and is again leading the way.
It is this commitment that has seen the introduction of our New Business Breakfasts and Business Booths, has slashed the time it takes to get a food truck licence from six weeks to 48 hours, and saw our Council win the 2024 Small Business Friendly Innovator of the Year award.
It has also been a busy time out and about in our community. Among the many celebrations recently were the TAE Aerospace Ipswich Jets Women in League Round, Rosewood Scrub landowners’ day, 160 years of Queensland Rail and the 20th anniversary of Staines Memorial College at Redbank Plains.
We are now quickly heading towards opening night for our city’s premier heritage festival. Galvanized: A Festival of Heritage is on from September 5-14. It’s not just for history buffs. It also gives visitors, younger generations and new residents the chance to understand how Ipswich grew from being a tiny settlement to the thriving city we call home today.
I look forward to seeing you there!
