Aitkenvale
Postcode: 4814
Aitkenvale is a suburb of Townsville, North Queensland. It is a major commercial and residential district of the city. The Suburb is home to two of Townsville’s biggest shopping centres and is home to branches of numerous companies. Aitkenvale is the biggest Commercial centre in Townsville outside of the Townsville CBD, and is often referred to as the second CBD. Besides offices and Shopping Centres, the Suburb is mainly Residential and has some light Industrial warehouses and workshops in the top north-eastern corner of the suburb. There is also picturesque parkland along the bank of the Ross River.
The Aitkenvale Community Hub project is about to commence and will see community facilities improved in the hub precinct. We are already off to a great start with the announcement that the Townsville PCYC in Wellington St is about to undergo a $4.27M redevelopment – a partnership between the Queensland Government and the Council.
The Aitkenvale Park area is about to undergo an exciting upgrade. The purpose of the upgrade is to develop the area as the Aitkenvale Community Hub and to improve facilities for the local community. This newsletter includes a map which shows the area that will become the Aitkenvale Community Hub. It will include the buildings, clubs and groups located in the precinct as well as the parklands, sports fields, car parks and pathways. The Aitkenvale Community Hub will be a hub of activity where families and friends enjoy visiting, and individuals and groups socialise, relax, learn and participate in recreation. It will also allow the community to appreciate the wonderful local environment.
The Rain Trees grouped together in the parkland area from Armit to Johnson Streets are an impressive sight and will form a key element of the Aitkenvale Community Hub Precinct. This cluster of trees with their wide crowns and arching branches make a beautiful panorama and provide cool shelter on a hot day. Other common names for the Rain Trees include monkey pod, cow tamarind and saman, but for
most they are known as Rain Trees. Native to South America, they fair well in Townsville due to their tolerance of drought, poor clay soils and seasonal inundation. According to Townsville City Council Horticultural and Arboricultural Officer, Julie Roach, the trees in the Aitkenvale precinct are probably 50 years old – still quite young compared with the Cathedral School rain tree thought to be around 120 years of age.