BATHURST Regional council will need to find another $4 million in coming budgets to complete a major redevelopment of the Sawpit Creek reserve after plans were given the rubber stamp last Wednesday.
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Council last year engaged dsb Landscape Architects to develop detailed landscape construction plans for a section of the reserve between Ophir Road and the Mitchell Highway to complement the new Windradyne 1100 subdivision, currently under design.
Council adopted a draft design in October and plans went on public display for 28 days, drawing 24 submissions.
A report to councillors by engineering services director Darren Sturgiss said plans for the reserve had been well received by most with some of the submissions, such as requests for an alcohol-free zone to be installed and the inclusion of public sculpture, considered to be outside the scope of the plan.
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- Other submissions - including queries about lighting, water refilling stations and shading - had already been covered in the plans while other requests, such as a webcam to monitor the riparian zone within the reserve, were flatly rejected.
Mr Sturgiss' report said design elements that had been included in the plan and accepted by council included:
- Stormwater management and drainage.
- Automatic irrigation system for playgrounds, shelter and barbecue facilities, main passive recreation zones and one active open space area.
- Sealed pathways and cycleways to link with the existing Kath Knowles pathway and Mitchell Highway pathway.
- Open grass level areas for active recreation.
- Playground equipment incorporating use for people with a disability.
- Shade trees and garden beds comprising naturally occurring local box-gum grassy woodland species.
But all this won't come cheap, with Mr Sturgiss estimating a total cost of $4 million to complete the project, to be funded by future council budgets and possibly government grants.
"Council will need to provide sufficient funding for the landscape development of Sawpit Creek Open Space Reserve in future Operational Plans," the report states.
"It should be noted that the development of Sawpit Creek Open Space Reserve will be able to be undertaken in stages, with likelihood that certain sections of the proposed works could attract funding through environmental rehabilitation grant programs, which are often offered by State and Federal Government."
Councillors voted unanimously to adopt the Sawpit Creek Open Space Reserve at last Wednesday's monthly meeting.
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