Asbestos-ridden buildings to go

Averyll Loft | 21st November 2009

EDUCATION Queensland says it will cost $5 million to demolish four asbestos-ridden TAFE buildings in Maryborough and build a new centre in its place.

Four asbestos-ridden TAFE buildings in Maryborough will be demolished to make way for a new training centre.

EDUCATION Queensland says it will cost $5 million to demolish four asbestos-ridden TAFE buildings in Maryborough and build a state-of-the-art Trade Training Centre in its place.

The new centre, announced last year, will provide industry standard training to students at Maryborough High, Aldridge High, St Mary’s College and Riverside Christian College.

Tenders are currently being considered by the department to pull down the buildings on the corner of Ferry and Sussex streets.

Education Queensland’s assistant director-general, Neil Miller, said there were a number of reasons the old buildings could not be used for the new $4.5 million training centre.

“While the buildings could have been modified at an estimated cost of around $10 million, the buildings are considered inflexible and difficult to adapt to industry standard as a training facility,” he said.

“The ongoing maintenance costs to the existing buildings would also be high, due to the age and condition of the buildings.

“The ability to remove asbestos was only one of the issues considered in determining the suitability of the buildings for future use.”

The new training centre was aimed at addressing skills shortages in the manufacturing, engineering and marine industries.