BATHURST will get its new ambulance station within this term of state government, Member for Bathurst Paul Toole confirmed on Thursday.
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Details have been scarce about the project since the NSW Government made a $6.6 million election commitment on the eve of the 2015 poll to redevelop the existing station in William Street or build a new one.
But Mr Toole said the behind-the-scenes work had been continuing and the NSW Government might soon be in a position to make an announcement.
“I’m hoping in the next couple of months we will be able to announce a site,” he said.
Mr Toole said Health Infrastructure had been looking at various locations around Bathurst.
“There are a couple of sites that have been identified and they [Health Infrastructure] are doing their due diligence around traffic in and out and scoping out the sites in a little bit more detail to identify which will be most appropriate,” he said.
When announcing the funding commitment in 2015, then Health Minister Jillian Skinner indicated the William Street station was unlikely to be redeveloped.
“This station is no longer big enough, but it’s a beautiful heritage building in a highly visible location that would be perfect for some sort of adaptive reuse,” she said.
Mr Toole said on Thursday he could not confirm that the station would be moving from William Street, but said “a number of greenfield sites” had been examined.
Mr Toole would also not be drawn on the future of the prominent current William Street site if the station is moved to a new location.
“Once we have identified whether it [the new station] will be on a greenfield site, then there will be discussions around the possible future use of the existing building,” he said.
The state member was adamant the new station will be constructed before the next state election in March 2019.
“One of the things I have lobbied ministers and the government about is that every project that we have announced, we have delivered, and this will be no exception,” he said.
At the announcement of the funding commitment in 2015, NSW Ambulance Central West zone manager Brad Porter said the training needs were limited at the current station and response times could be enhanced at a “more efficient facility”.
The NSW Government’s most high profile project in Bathurst, its upgrade of the Great Western Highway at Kelso, was completed this week.