Stafford Archives - Page 4 of 4

Council Urged to Find New Site for Stafford Skate Centre

Brisbane’s roller-skating community is calling on Council to find a new site for the Stafford Skate Centre after the lease for the privately-owned building, which has been the home of the rink for over four decades, was not renewed.

In a statement on Facebook, the former operator Rob Carter said that it was time for his family to “hang up the skates” as he looks forward to his retirement. Reports cited that the building owners are looking to turn the building into a World Gym, targetting a redevelopment date for September 2021.

Following the announcement, locals have expressed devastation as one of the last skating rinks in Brisbane could displace a growing skating community. Children between the ages of five to 15, who play inline hockey, speed skating, artistic skating, and roller hockey, will no longer have a safe indoor rink that protects them from the sun and road traffic.

The closest skating rinks, found in Albany Creek and Browns Plains, might not also be able to accommodate the number of skaters that frequent the Stafford Skate Centre. Meanwhile, Stafford has an abundance of gym facilities.

Stafford locals have set up a petition to save the skating rink and nearly 4,000 have signed their support, as of press time. Councillor Fiona Hammond also opened her office for the community to discuss potential new locations with her.

Some residents suggested that Council must consider an outdoor park with more undercover areas so people can still skate and exercise when it’s hot or raining.

The skating centre first opened its doors in 1972 and Mr Carter used to work as a skating coach before he took over the lease in 1981. Mr Carter said he’s the first to be devastated by the closure but he understood the business decision made by the building owners. As per his lease agreement, the Stafford Skate Centre will close after 12 Sept 2021.

New Restaurant Oh Boy, Bok Choy! to Open in Stafford

Brisbane’s northside is about to get another addition to its diverse cuisine as a new Southeast Asian restaurant — Oh Boy, Bok Choy! — featuring a wonderful blend of sweet, sour and spicy flavours, is setting its big opening in Stafford.

Oh Boy, Bok Choy! comes from the same team behind Farm House in Kedron. Owners John and Amanda Scott announced their plans to open the new restaurant as an offshoot of Farm House’s “lockdown specials” during the pandemic.

“It is going to be a Southeast Asian Kitchen & Bar with half the menu plant-based, gluten-free and with sauces and bao made from scratch,” the owners revealed to their regular Kedron patrons in a Facebook post.

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A post shared by Oh Boy Bok Choy (@ohboybokchoy)

Whilst Oh Boy, Bok Choy! will offer mostly Vietnamese dishes, there will also be food inspired by Filipino and Malaysian cuisine. Other details about this new restaurant are still under wraps but the Scotts are targetting a May 2021 opening date.

Mrs Scott said that they’ve come up with Oh Boy, Bok Choy! as a healthy option and this something she has been wanting to do in her 24 years in the food business. She used to own and manage Ashgrove’s Milk Bar and Cafe Conti in Wilston.

Meanwhile, if you’re wondering where the name comes from, Bok Choy is a type of cruciferous vegetable and a popular Southeast Asian ingredient for stir fry dishes or soups. Much like kale, lettuce wraps or mustard greens, this has a milder and sweeter taste but it is packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Mary K: Food Icon Reopens New Site 18 Months After Old Shop Closed

Missing food icon Mary Kios’s homecooked sauces and Mediterranean food? More than 18 months since closing shop in Nundah, North Brisbane’s favorite deli shop owner is back in business with Mary K at a new location in Stafford.

Ms Kios, who ran Get Fresh Deli at the Toombul Shopping Centre for 12 years, decided to reopen because she missed her customers. Her hiatus proved just how much food service is her life.

Ms Kios said some of her loyal customers often come up to her, when she’s out shopping, to ask when she’s coming back. She realized that having her store made her the happiest because it allowed her to connect with her “family” — her customers.

Photo Credit: Mary K Fresh Fine Foods/Facebook

Mary K Fresh Fine Foods offers a gratifying selection of high quality eats that the old deli used to trade. However, Ms Kios is also adding new epicurean delights, as well as more cheese and wine staples, as the store develops its menu. The Nundah food trader also has plans to introduce Indigenous foods to her revived business.

“Great to see the Stafford Road precinct continue to come alive! I dropped into Mary K. Fresh Fine Foods today to pick up some beautiful Italian food,” Councillor Fiona Hammond said on Facebook on her visit to the Stafford store. “Small and Family businesses like this are the backbone of our community and our economy. Drop in for some delicious treats when you’re going past next!”

Ms Kios got her training in the food industry from her Greek migrant parents after they opened a milk and snack bar in Kelvin Grove in 1954. Twenty years later, she went into the catering business and served VIPs in the government, the corporate world and the entertainment industry.

Mary K officially started the business last 5 Aug 2020 at 240 Stafford Rd. Check their Facebook page for the store’s trading hours.

Padua College and Mount Alvernia College Announce Expansion Plans in Kedron

Photo credit: Padua College Kedron (Official)/Facebook

Padua College and Mount Alvernia College in Kedron are planning to expand by acquiring a Council-owned depot, with plans to transform it into a sport and cultural precinct.

Mr Mark McSweeney, Chairperson of Padua College, and Mr Michael O’Brien, Chairperson of Mount Alvernia College sent a letter to their alumni, announcing the possible acquisition of the Stafford depot. Also, BCC has already accepted their letter of offer to buy the land.

The board of directors from the two Catholic Franciscan schools will come up with a master plan over the next year for the long-term use of the precinct. The master planning will involve a consultation period to ensure that the schools consider all input for the best use of the land.

They want the site to offer some community use as part of the long-term plan. But for the meantime, they are considering to build playing fields and a base for their combined Franciscan Colleges instrumental program.

“This opportunity has been made possible by more than 120 years of combined prudent financial management of Mount Alvernia and Padua Colleges. This has enabled us to be in a position to responsibly acquire this land,” Mr McSweeney and Mr O’Brien said in the joint statement.

All proceeds of the sale would go to the Brisbane Green Future Fund, which was established by the Council to expand the city’s greenspace and is part of the Council’s 2019-20 Budget.

About the Depot

The Stafford depot measures 44,476 sqm and is bordered by several streets including Broughton Rd, Wayland St, Lennon St, Hutchins St, Bradley Ave and Wood St. This parcel of land is located south of the two Cathoic schools and used to be a quarry.

Lennon St, Kedron (Photo Credit: Google Street View)

The site currently houses State Emergency Services facility. It will remain there until the council’s relocation strategy is complete. With its huge size, the land can still be used to build a residential space, but Finance Chair Cr Adam Allan said he is pleased it will be used for both education facilities and sporting fields for future generations.

Host Your BYO Parties in Stafford at the Benga Box

Did you know that you can host a BYO party in Stafford at a secured and spacious location without fear of disturbing the neighbours or paying for a sky-high price for the venue? Enjoy the kind of party you want to celebrate at the Benga Box, a unique industrial BYO venue for hire.

Located at 24 Stone Street, the Benga Box offers flexibility and has everything you need to mount a party: PA system, lighting, projector, lectern, DJ Box, tables and stools. You can build a bespoke event by arranging the layout of the venue based on your theme or gimmick.

With the physical set up in place, all you have to do is choose a caterer for the food and drinks and hire the talents and waitstaff who will ensure your party will go without any hitches. Benga Box has an industrial double glass door fridge for hire as well if you’re self-catering your food and drinks supply.

Benga Box has a 100-seating capacity within its 105 square-metre area. It’s perfect for birthday celebrations, hen’s party or buck’s night, functions, launches and exhibits, provided that your party happens on a Friday or Saturday night.

For an additional fee, you may request for a LED dance floor, a stage and security details. For enquiries, fill out their form online.

Police Encourages Stafford Locals to Prioritise their Own Safety

To ensure the safety of all locals passing through the bike way of Kedron Brook in Stafford, the Gateway Crime Prevention Team went out for a little walk in early February 2019 to speak amongst the daily users of the said bike way.

A number of locals pound the pavements of Kedron Brook every day for either work or fitness purposes. Because to this, the local police encouraged everyone passing through the area to always be vigilant of their surroundings and to always be more aware of what is going on around them.

According to the police, it is always best for locals to carry their mobile phones with them whilst they do their day-to-day activities at Kedron Brook. By having their mobile phones in their pockets, locals can easily and immediately dial Triple Zero 000 or the Policelink 131 444 for any situation that needs to be reported, such as a crime or an emergency.

Another important reminder from the police is for the locals to listen, trust, and act on their instincts especially if they are placed upon an unsure situation.

Dogs on Patrol

Part of the Queensland Police Service initiative is the Dogs on Patrol program. Dogs on Patrol encourages dog walkers within the community to take the responsibility of reporting to the police any spotted suspicious activity. All members of the Dogs on Patrol program are also encouraged to always stay connected within other walkers when they are out and about the neighbourhood.

Earlier this February 2019, as the police walked around the pavements of Kedron Brook, all residents who were out on their daily walks with their fur babies were quickly approached by the police to join the Dogs on Patrol program.

The walkies of the local police along Kedron Brook bike way focus on encouraging more members of the community to always prioritise their own safety and also the safety of their entire community. Given the number of people passing through Kedron Brook daily, the local police needs everyone’s help and support in preventing any crime that may happen in the area in order to safeguard the neighbourhood’s overall security.

Also, feel free to say hello if given the chance you see any friendly local police having walkies again along Kedron Brook bike way.