GREATER Taree City Council is currently reviewing submissions from the community in relation to its Draft Open Space Improvement Plan.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Council staff developed the plan as part of a process to try to raise revenue and reduce its maintenance costs by selling some of its parks and reserves. The decision to try to reduce the amount of parks and reserves on council's books is part of its 2013-17 delivery program and 2014-15 operational plan.
Sites in Taree, Old Bar, Wingham, Wallabi Point, Cundletown and Harrington were assessed and the plan proposed various options that included sale, sub-division or dedication of land to Housing NSW.
The following locations were identified by council:
- Taree: Bushland Park, a portion of Melaleuca Place, Bangalow Place Reserve, Ruprecht Park, Patricia Avenue Reserve, Gwenneth Avenue Reserve, Ronald Road Reserve, Craiglea Close Reserve, Edinburgh Drive Reserve, Andrew Close Reserve, Dolphin Park and Hinten Crescent.
- Cundletown: Regent/River Street Reserve.
- Old Bar: Carle Park, a portion of Charles Boyce Park, Waterman Street Reserve, a portion of Mistral Place Reserve, a portion of Seaview Park, Bluehaven Estate Reserve and a portion of Badgers Park.
- Wingham: Bahanas Close Reserve, a portion of Apex Park, Kerrydell Place Reserve, Hereford Close Reserve No.1 and a portion of Richardson Street Reserve.
- Wallabi Point: A portion of Shelley Close Reserve.
- Harrington: Dolphin Park.
According to the draft plan, "funds obtained through the sale of these areas would be specifically set aside in a trust fund and used to provide capital improvements and/or undertake greater maintenance to extend the life of existing assets in higher useage parks within the same locality."
It also states that "income obtained through the sale of this land could also be used as matching funding to enable council to secure additional funding for improvements through external grant programs such as the NSW Sport and Recreation's Participation and Facility Program and the NSW Community Building Partnership Program."