EVERY Bathurst resident living in urban area should be within an easy 500 metre walk to their nearest park under recommendations currently before Bathurst Regional Council.
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Council's Bathurst 2040 Open Space Strategy, a blueprint for how the growing region manages the provision of green spaces over the next 20 years, is currently on public exhibition.
The draft strategy was produced following extensive consultation with council, community groups and residents, and includes a raft of recommendations for both Bathurst city and the surrounding villages.
Of particular concern is the provision of green areas in the rapidly developing areas around Laffing Waters to the east of the city and Eglinton to the north.
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The draft strategy notes the importance to the community of public green spaces and recommends some minimum targets for council.
"Most residents will have safe walking and cycling access to recreation parks and informal outdoor recreation and local play opportunities," the report states.
"Within the Bathurst region a community park opportunity should be within 400-500 metres safe walking distance from residences in urban areas. For rural villages, access to a community park is desirable within 1000 metres.
"Most residents will have access to a larger destination recreation park and/or sporting opportunities within 10-20 minutes via car."
The draft also lists recommendations for new parks in residential areas.
Around the CBD, the draft strategy calls on council to continue long-term planning for the Macquarie River corridor to become a major regional open space corridor, to continue developing Stage 2 of the adventure playground at Victoria Park and to implement the Centennial Park master plan.
Further out the draft recommends the establishment of a one-hectare community park along Evernden Road in the western growth area of Abercrombie-Llanarth and development of new recreation areas around Eglinton, including an open space corridor along Saltram Creek, a new riverside park on the opposite bank to the Ranken's Bridge play area and a new five-hectare sports precinct on the western boundary boundary of the village.
The draft says council should develop a number of new parks around Laffing Waters and Kelso North, as shown in the master plan for the area, and provide transport links to the river, larger community parks and the planned neighbourhood activity centre.
Draft strategy's recommendations for new parks ...
A large multi-use district park and sports field north of Marsden Lane is also proposed.
Council is urged to consider adopting minimum service levels for parkland opportunities in the rural villages, including play and picnic facilities within the village, access to a community hall or covered space for meetings and access to sports fields and courts.
Submissions on the draft open space plan close on March 10. For more information, go to yoursay.bathurst.nsw.gov.au/openspace.
