Cr Thomas’s swipe at delay

“They want to see the high-end value project underway.”

The project for Purtle Park in Melbourne Street near the locomotive was to be completed last Christmas but no groundworks have been undertaken.

In fact, funding exists for the first, albeit the main, stage only. Council has confirmed funding of $1.2 million to deliver the All Abilities Park in Mulwala. The community has raised $350,000 and State Government funding totalling $850,000 has been confirmed. That covers Stage One.

At its latest monthly meeting, council decided it will seek funding of $540,000 for stages two and three of the project and a small contingency within the project in Round 3 of the Stronger Country Communities Grants.

“If we are unsuccessful, can the additional shortfall be included in our Operation Plan for next year?” Cr Thomas asked. “Yes, but we will be trying our best to get it quicker than that,” Mayor Pat Bourke responded.  

The first stage includes construction of the main playground and upgrade to the toilet block. Concepts were presented to council in June 2019, and extensive community consultation including a stakeholder group has occurred. 

Discussions and review of other new installations across Australia indicate a preference for a substantial ‘hero’ centrepiece play structure, to create an iconic playground that would support the tourism experience in the region.

Stage two would include some smaller playground features, pathways and landscaping. A third stage would link the playground to the water, with water based sensory experiences and potentially a future project of a small boat mooring area with all abilities boating access.

This grants program has a youth theme, with half of all available funding being committed to projects that provide direct benefits to young people. Council has been advised that $1.55 million dollars has been allocated for projects within Federation Council. 

Council also agreed to seek funding for two other projects.  An exciting event called ‘Mudwala’, a tough mudder (mud run) for Mulwala, which is estimated to cost $74,000 over three years and proposed by our Youth Council, was praised and supported.

“This project has been put forward after the success of the Colour Run event, run by the Youth Council in Corowa earlier this year,” Federation Council’s director corporate and community services Jo Shannon said.

“Conservative economic modelling, based on 250 participants, accompanied by an average one person each, projects an economic return of $290,159 with 1.5 EFT jobs created.

“The Youth Council is working towards the event being sustainable after this time, at which it will become a non-council event. There is an existing circuit of similar events.”

A State Government grant of $85,000 for a new stage and train station at Corowa’s Bangerang Park is being sought by Federation Council.

The major Bangerang Park Corowa upgrade close to the Corowa Civic Centre has commenced with the new pathway and stormwater works nearing completion and the playground instalment underway.

The project has been funded through an allocation of $651,000 from the Stronger Communities Fund (merger) and contributions of $110,000 from the community and private sector. 

The original concept had included a new stage and train station to be included in the project. “When quotes were received, it became evident that these elements would need to be removed to accommodate the available budget,” Federation Council’s director corporate and community services Jo Shannon said.

Deputy mayor Shaun Whitechurch said for many years (former) Corowa Shire was deemed a retirement village but there are new or imminent new attractions and he praised the Youth Council.

Cr Gail Law added her praise. “It’s wonderful to have young people interested. I’m really supportive of the Youth Council. We’ve got so much of a future here.”

Mayor Pat Bourke expressed his praise and said he could be a starter at Mulwala in the Mudwala event.  

Federation Council has had previous success in past rounds of this grants program with three projects totalling $1,067,714 successful in round one, and 15 projects totalling $3,308,776 successful in round two.