TODAY is the final day for public comment on Greater Taree City Council's draft Open Space Improvement Plan (OSIP).
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Council's senior leader governance Jane Ree is expecting more submissions and says "council staff want to come at it with fresh eyes" after the analysis of public feedback is completed.
The timeline for analysis is not set but it is likely to take "several weeks to achieve", according to the draft OSIP report presented at the March 18 meeting of council.
The draft OSIP is a work-in-progress with councillors resolving "that a comprehensive review of the OSIP be undertaken item by item and discussed at a future councillor workshop."
Councillors will also review its community engagement plan and council will arrange "appropriate media" to advise "the community that the current exhibition of the OSIP is one stage of the project and more consultation will occur as the plan and its various elements are developed and refined."
The draft OSIP sparked emotive and widespread public discussion in recent weeks from people within the communities of Old Bar, Taree, Wingham and Wallabi Point.
Community meetings rallied residents neighbouring some of the parks or reserves identified to be sold or dedicated in the draft OSIP.
At all meetings common concerns emerged about the sale of public assets, the value of green space to neighbourhood interaction and community wellbeing, the draft plan notification process, the proposed use of funds generated from the sale of land and the potential impact on land values.
The high level of public interest prompted council to add another month to its deadline for public comment.
The OSIP report also reveals issues identified by council in the community consultation process such as a such as a lack of trust in the council, its staff and elected officials; a willingness for some communities to share the responsibility of open space maintenance; a level of satisfaction with council's current standards of green space maintenance; ideas for improvement; and the need for council to better inform the community of the facts to counter misinformation.
GREATER Taree City Council seeks to raise revenue and reduce its maintenance costs by selling or dedicating some of its parks and reserves in the Manning Valley.
Council's draft Open Space Improvement Plan identifies areas in Taree, Old Bar, Wingham, Wallabi, Cundletown and Harrington that are in a location with similar open space areas, or not used by the community, undeveloped, undersized or have restricted potential due to access or drainage issues.
The decision 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. Council currently manages and maintains more than 1000 hectares of parks and reserves, and according to council, many are hardly used by residents and visitors to our area.
The following locations are being considered for sub-division and sale or dedication to Housing NSW:
o 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.
o Cundletown: Regent/River Street Reserve.o 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.
o Wingham: Bahanas Close Reserve, a portion of Apex Park, Kerrydell Place Reserve, Hereford Close Reserve No.1 and a portion of Richardson Street Reserve.
o Wallabi Point: A portion of Shelley Close Reserve.
o 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 usage 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."