Redland City Council Mayor Karen Williams joined Development Directive Senior Consultant Peter Macgregor and Paradise Gardens owner Daniel Wong on Thursday to officially commence work on Thornlands' newest shopping precinct.
Situated on the corner of Boundary Road and Panorama Drive, also known to locals as the former site of the iconic 'Round Shop', Paradise Gardens Shopping Village will include a supermarket, service station, medical centre, speciality retailers and a pub as well as 1.4 hectares of privately owned and maintained greenspace intended for community use.
Redland City Council Mayor Karen Williams said the precinct would benefit the community, providing locals with jobs and support for small businesses in the region.
"It will provide about 240 part-time and full-time jobs, particularly for younger people in our city," says Cr Williams.
"There are young families moving into Kinross that want access to not only the retail opportunities, but that community field where they can build a hub," she says.
"It also starts to address one of the issues that came out of the master plan for Kinross, which was that there was only one way in and one way out, that's been a big issue for the residents of Kinross, and this goes a little way to solving some of those issues."
State Member for Redlands, Kim Richards, says a project of this magnitude would transform Thornlands, providing residents with easy access to vital goods and services.
"I think it's very exciting to have a project like this that will deliver retail amenities in another place for the community to gather," she said.
"The closest place to stop and get petrol if you're commuting to or from the city is in Capalaba before having to go all the way down to Victoria Point, so for the Thornlands and Kinross community, I think that this will provide enormous amenities."
The shopping precinct will occupy the site of a former Redlands landmark, the Round Shop, the one-stop-shop where residents could buy groceries and fill up on petrol.
Ms Richards spoke fondly of the former landmark, saying the new shopping precinct is long overdue.
"The Round Shop was really missed when it was taken away. I remember taking my son, who's 28 now, to the Round Shop and buying mixed lollies on the way home," Ms Richards said.
"Back 25 years ago, unless you were willing to stop in Capalaba, the Round Shop provided an opportunity to pick up some bread or some milk or even that grocery item that you missed.
"It's a long-overdue project that will benefit the community."
The development will also include 1.4 hectares of green space for community use and include picnic shelters, a shaded playground and recreational spaces with seating.
Development Directive Senior Consultant Peter Macgregor said incorporating the surrounding greenery and natural vegetation was central to the design.
"It will provide a convenient, modern, up to date shopping facility for this growing region of Thornlands with some magnificent green open space which the community will be able to have use of," he said.
"We were very conscious of saving as much vegetation as possible," he said.
Construction on the project is expected to take 18 months.
