A VACANT grassed area behind the Bathurst Aquatic Centre is set to be transformed into the city’s newest public car park.
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As the region prepares to celebrate the city’s bicentenary next year, the initiative is seen as a way of catering for the big crowds expected in the nearby Peace Park precinct.
Funding for this project, as well as an upgrade to the Bathurst Information and Neighbourhood Centre car park to provide extra spots for Keppel Street shoppers, had originally been rejected for inclusion in council’s 2014-15 capital works program management plan.
However, according to a report to tonight’s ordinary monthly meeting, council was notified in early September that it had been successful in recovering outstanding funds relating to the Local Government Financial Services (LGFS) court case.
The case related to a number of councils being found to have been sold inappropriate investment products by US-based Lehman Brothers, which collapsed in the global financial crisis.
“During this legal process council had to pay considerable costs,” the report states. “Additional costs were incurred in 2013 when the losing parties lodged a further appeal. Council was forced again to pay legal costs in excess of $200,000.
“Council has now been notified that the appeal has been rejected and that no further appeals are available. Council was awarded costs from the appeal and approximately $170,000 will be returned to council.”
The report says council now has about $170,000 to add to its management plan for 2014-15.
“As a lot of council’s celebrations during 2015 will happen in the Stanley Street area, it is recommended that council’s management plan for 2014-15 be amended to include the construction of the car park in Stanley Street,” the report states.
“In respect to the Keppel Street car park, this item will now appear in the 2015-16 management plan for councillors’ consideration.”
News of the plans to upgrade the vacant Stanley Street block will be welcomed by nearby residents.
Council has received a number of complaints in recent months about visitors to Peace Park parking illegally on Stanley Street, and even blocking residents’ driveways.
Neighbours have warned the situation will only get worse when the park hosts bicentenary activities next year, including the erection of the memorial flagstaff.
