Mayoral Column 29th April 2022

Published on 29 April 2022

Aquatic Centre officially open        

This morning I joined the Hon Wendy Tuckerman MP, Minister for Local Government and Member for Goulburn, Councillors, representatives of NSW Office of Sport, staff and contractors for the official opening of the redeveloped Goulburn Aquatic & Leisure Centre.

I have spoken at length in recent columns about the scope and quality of the new Aquatic Centre, and I am really looking forward to our residents now having the opportunity to see and utilise this amazing community facility.

It is an enormous expansion compared to our old indoor centre, with three brand new pools ready for your use – along with the water play area for our younger kids. The 8 lane lap pool will be well utilised now that we are past ANZAC Day and moving quickly towards winter, and the new Learn to Swim pool is also a huge improvement. I am especially excited about the hydrotherapy pool – a critical resource for injury recovery and rehabilitation, and there is also a specially designed lift which will enable our people who live with a disability to utilise this pool.

The new gym features fantastic brand new equipment, and as you would expect the change rooms and facilities are also significantly upgraded. A real feature is the café, which opens out onto a balcony which has a magnificent view of Victoria Park and the adventure playground.

We are kicking off a massive weekend with the doors opening at 2pm on Friday, with free entry. This will continue on Saturday with a full day family fun, again with free entry. Eagle FM will be broadcasting live, and I encourage you to get involved and to see the new facility for yourself.

Council to consider 2022/23 Budget

At next week’s meeting, we will consider the 2022/23 Budget & Operational Plan, a document that we have been working on behind the scenes for around two months which will set the scene for our new Council.

Included in this document is the continuation of a number of projects already in motion, but also some new initiatives which I believe will be well accepted by the community. I wish to preview some of these below:

• Playground - Marulan: Council has allocated $390,000 gained through the NSW Government Everyone Can Play grant program for a new playground in Tony Onions Park in Marulan. This playground will be similar in style and size to the one recently built at Riverside Park in Marys Mount, Goulburn.
• North Park, Goulburn: Over $1.9 million in grant funding has been obtained for a new pavilion at North Park, along with significant access improvements and landscaping. The new pavilion will provide much improved canteen, change rooms and bathrooms for junior rugby league and other users of North Park.
• BMX Track Upgrade: $150,000 has been allocated for improvements to the BMX track which is located off Avoca Street, near PCYC Goulburn. This track is in urgent need of an upgrade, and is well utilised by young people of this region.
• Netball Courts: $700,000 has been received again through NSW Government grant funding for resurfacing of our netball courts at Carr Confoy. Netball is one of the region’s biggest sports based on participation numbers, and we are looking forward to undertaking these court improvements.
• Carr Confoy Pavilion: Concept designs for a new pavilion at the Carr Confoy sporting fields have been completed, and grant applications are being finalised. This would be a magnificent new building, which would service Netball, Touch Football and Rugby Union. Note this project is dependent on us receiving grant funding.
• Kinghorne/Albert Street roundabout: Funding was received through the Blackspot program due to a number of serious incidents occurring at this intersection; a roundabout will be built this financial year.
• Deccan Street rehabilitation: $1.7 million has been obtained through grant funding and will be spent on rehabilitation and resurfacing of Deccan Street.
• Rural Roads: As highlighted above, over $6.7 million will be spent on Rural Roads in this financial year alone, with significant works on Windellama Road, Jerrara Road, Gurrundah Road, Pomeroy Road, Middle Arm Road and Wollumbi Road. We will also replace Mayfield Bridge this year, at a cost of $2.2 million.

This document, along with the draft delivery program for the next four years will be placed on public exhibition following the meeting for wider community comment. This is your time to have input, and with a new Council it is critical that we hear from our residents to make sure we are getting the balance right with our projects and initiatives for the next four years.

Submissions are encouraged and can be made in writing to council@goulburn.nsw.gov.au or sent by mail to Locked Bag 22, Goulburn, NSW. Submitters who wish to speak to their submission will also be invited to do so during Public Forum of the Council meeting on 21 June 2022 as part of the submission consideration process.