Mayoral Column 14th April 2022
Published on 13 April 2022
Wishing people a happy Easter
Easter is a wonderful, significant time of year for many people in Australia and our region. It comes at an opportune time to enjoy a short break prior to winter, after what has been an incredibly busy start to the year for Goulburn Mulwaree Council.
Our new Council has been ‘on-boarded’ and have had to hit the ground running as we work through a new Regional Community Strategic Plan alongside the 2022/23 budget, and our delivery program for the next four years. It has been a trial by fire for our five new councillors, however we have already managed to achieve a lot in this short period of time, with many exciting projects, ideas and priorities for the remainder of the year.
A clear highlight of the first three months of 2022 for myself has been the return of events and occasions where our community has been able to gather. Whether this is the return of the Seniors Festival, or the magnificent opening of the Goulburn Performing Arts Centre, it is great to see our community able to attend and enjoy events and social occasions, as this is what brings us together!
For those who are travelling across this long weekend, please allow yourself extra time for breaks, and ensure you follow all of the road rules with caution. Double demerit points will apply on NSW roads from Thursday 14th April until Monday 18th April.
Aquatic Centre open day confirmed
The huge milestones will continue on Friday 29th April, when the Goulburn Aquatic & Leisure Centre will be officially opened. We will be hosting a free entry open afternoon from 2pm until 7:45pm to allow the community the opportunity to try the new facility.
Construction of the $29.8 million redevelopment of the facility began in July 2020, after receiving planning approval a year earlier. Included in the project are an eight lane, twenty five metre indoor pool, program pool, water play area, hydrotherapy pool, gym, change rooms and a café which opens out onto Victoria Park.
The $29 million facility has been joint funded by the Goulburn Mulwaree Council and the NSW Government who provided a $10 million grant for the project.
It will be a huge afternoon and weekend at the end of April, when we welcome families and our community into this amazing new facility. Staff and contractors are putting the final touches on the project, and planning for our grand opening.
Once open this the Aquatic Centre will be a wonderful new facility for our young children to learn to swim, for our residents to recover from sport or injury in the hydrotherapy pool, or for our community to swim laps or use the gym to keep fit and healthy. It has been an enormous year of achievement for Council as we come to the end of this project, and I look forward to seeing it well utilised following the 29th April.
Ray Harvey Sports Foundation grants
Young sports people are being encouraged to apply for the next round of the Ray Harvey Sports Foundation grants, with applications open until 5pm on Thursday 28th April 2022.
The grants seek to provide financial assistance to promising young sports people, assisting them with the necessary coaching and competitive experience required to represent Goulburn in their chosen sport, outside our region.
Applications should be made in writing, with forms available online through Council’s website, or from customer service at the Civic Centre (184 Bourke Street, Goulburn).
These applications are then assessed by the Ray Harvey Sports Foundation grants committee, before being presented at a Council meeting likely to be held in June.