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Media Release - $3.05 million of Projects Announced for Blayney Shire

MEDIA RELEASE 

Tuesday 10 December 2020

$3.05 million of Projects Announced for Blayney Shire

The Hon Paul Toole MP visited Blayney today and announced the successful projects approved for Blayney Shire Council under the Resources for Regions (RfR) Program.

The NSW Government provided $50 million for RfR Round 7, allocated across the 24 identified Local Government Areas (LGAs).  Prescribed allocations of funding to eligible LGAs consist of: a base allocation of $1 million and weighted funding to the most mining affected LGAs using the mining employment location quotient.

‘Four projects worth a total of $3,055,718 have been developed and agreed in a collaboration between Blayney Shire Council and the NSW Government,’ Mr Toole said.

‘Each of these projects feature and have been rated as high priorities in the Blayney Shire Community Strategic Plan.’

The projects include:
- $1.8 million Stage 2 of the CentrePoint Sport and Leisure Centre Upgrade
- $550,000 for the sealing of Carbine Road
- $655,718 for the upgrade of Forest Reefs Road
- $50,000 for Stage 2 of the Library Refurbishment and a Blayney CBD Plan

The Blayney CentrePoint Sport and Leisure Centre Stage 2 Sustainability project is a quadruple approach. It will complete the upgrade and renewal of a 20 year old building and create an environmentally sustainable facility. This will improve the financial sustainability of the leisure centre for both Council and its community. The upgrade includes the replacement of the 3000m2 roof, two new automatic front doors, installation of PV solar panels and water harvesting infrastructure, at both CentrePoint and neighbouring Carrington Park. 

Creating these utility efficiencies will ensure downward pressure on operational costs and also ensure user fees remain affordable to patrons and the broader community with current utility expenditure budgeted at $275,000 a year. Stage 2 is expected to be a 10 to 12 week project, likely to be undertaken in mid-2021 and unfortunately the pool closed for the duration of the works.

‘This is the last major capital expenditure required to complete the renewal of the facility. There is no further major capital investment that will be required in the near future,’ said Mayor Ferguson. 

The Carbine Road sealing project brings forward a project that was not going to be delivered until 23/24. With allocation from the Cadia (East) Special Rate Variation (SRV), this project would include sections of realignment, and the widening, pavement strengthening and sealing of the existing unsealed section which is 2.2km in length; that is impacted by mining traffic. Realignment is required to address poor road geometry prior to being sealed to ensure road user safety, and will require land acquisitions. 

The Forest Reeds Road upgrade includes the next priority section on Forest Reefs Road requiring realignment, widening, drainage works and pavement strengthening to improve road user safety, and will link with previously upgraded sections through to Forest Reefs. This funding will bring forward works that are currently not included in Council’s LTFP.

‘Council has progressively upgraded the main route from Millthorpe to Cadia, over the past 10 years, to service what is an important link to the west of the Shire, and the fastest growing rural residential area of Blayney Shire,’ said Cr Ferguson. 

The Blayney Library project is a new addition to the rear of the block to provide a bigger library and family history space with staff kitchen, amenities, store room and meeting rooms. The Blayney CBD Plans will focus on detailed designs for the Blayney main street from the Railway Line to the Library and include the Shopping Centre in Farm Lane. Concepts will be developed for the recommended High Pedestrian Zone, traffic calming, parking, disabled access, main street beautification, with pedestrian linkages to Farm Lane and the Shopping Centre.

‘Both of these projects are important for the local community and enhancing our existing facilities to make the most of them.’

‘Our main street being a highway has always made it difficult to have a vibrant town centre, so this plan will be valuable in mapping out our next steps,’ said Cr Ferguson. 

Today’s announcement is for two out of the four projects Blayney Shire Council applied for with more announcements to be made. 

The Resources for Regions program aims to support the ongoing prosperity of mining communities in regional NSW by providing economic opportunities, improved local amenity and positive social outcomes. 

Cadia’s General Manager, Aaron Brannigan, said ‘We are proud to live and work within the Blayney Shire Council region and benefit from the excellent facilities provided for the community. We enjoy working collaboratively with the Council to ensure that our operation continues to support the economic and community growth of the Shire through Resources for Regions and other site based programs.’

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Photo: Mayor Scott Ferguson, Mark Dicker Director Environmental Services, Aaron Brannigan General Manager Cadia, Cr David Kingham, Paul Toole MP, Cr Bruce Reynolds.

 

Last modified: 11 Dec 2020

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