The commissioning of the study has been put on hold because it is one of the issues that Bathurst’s new community safety committee is currently investigating.

At Wednesday’s policy committee meeting Cr Monica Morse moved that $10,000 of that money be used to plan an upgrade of facilities in Centennial Park, off Seymour Street, and $10,000 be used for the creation of a strategic plan for the city’s 2015 Bicentennial activities.

Cr Morse said councillors had come up with a number of ideas for the park that would make it unique.

She said at the very least there was a need for a watering system because in summer people living around the park come over and water the trees by hand.

Cr Morse said it would also be pleasing to see some landscaping, benches for people to sit on and perhaps a barbecue and some picnic shelters. The playground also needs an upgrade.

Like Victoria Park, before Bathurst’s Adventure Playground made its home there, Centennial Park is a big, mostly empty park with little to commend it.

“Lots of people take their dogs for walks there and people cut through it one their way to work, so it is a park that is used, it’s just not particularly user friendly,” Cr Morse said.

Cr Ian North agreed that this part of Bathurst needs a better facility.

“Maybe something unique – like a series of exercise stations,” he said.

Both Crs Tracey Carpenter and Bobby Bourke agreed it was high time the park was revamped.

“I think a fitness park would work extremely well,” Cr Carpenter said.

Cr Morse also stressed the need to develop a strategic plan for the 2015 celebrations rather than a piecemeal approach.

“It’s not just a birthday party for Bathurst, it is a significant occasion for the state of NSW and all Australia,” she said.

“We need to start planning for events sponsorship, we need to consider a lasting legacy for Bathurst and we need a timeline and a media campaign if we are to do a really good job.”