Forbes Shire Council has received $2 million in support from the NSW Government under the NSW Public Spaces Legacy Program to rollout planning undertaken for the Lake Forbes Activation Plan.
The $250 million NSW Public Spaces Legacy Program is the biggest injection of funding for public spaces in a generation and is supporting councils to deliver additional public spaces and improvements to existing spaces across the state.
This funding is a huge boost to Council in its delivery of the Lake Forbes Activation Plan for the community and includes projects like the refurbishment of the BMX track, creation of a beach at Lions Park and better footbridges and pedestrian access around the lake.
“Development of this plan was undertaken with lots of community consultation – the Forbes community and visitors alike love our lake and this provides Council with direction for this asset moving forward, Forbes Mayor Phyllis Miller OAM said.
“Public spaces are the heart of our communities,” Mayor Miller said.
“They connect us, inspire us and make us healthier and happier, great public spaces shape who we are and greatly enrich our lives. The COVID-19 pandemic has made us appreciate more than ever the role of public spaces in supporting our health and well-being, our sense of community and our civic lives,” she said.
Council has been able to access this funding, as early adopters of the NSW Planning Portal.
“We would like to thank the community for coming along with us on this journey – online services can be tricky to implement so it has been a team effort. We have done this more than six months ahead of the NSW Planning Portal being mandated for local government, so it’s a huge effort,” Mayor Miller said.
“Great public spaces don’t just happen. To make a place great requires sound planning and significant investment. “There is a lot more to do in the Lake Forbes Activation Plan, but this is a brilliant start – the projects that are to be funded under the NSW Public Spaces Legacy Program are many and varied,” Mayor Miller said.
“As the works progress, there may be some interruptions to how the community is able to use the walking paths and the lake itself. Be assured that we will give you all plenty of notice as to when this will occur. Worksites will be signed – please obey these for your own safety – and we will endeavour to keep dust and noise to a minimum,” she said.
“All works will be double checked for their compliance with our Flood survey undertaken by flood consultants. We have run the Lake Forbes Activation Plan projects through this flood modelling to ensure that they are delivered in a flood safe manner.
“The investment from the NSW Government’s NSW Public Spaces Legacy Program will also have economic benefits for the community helping contribute to the COVID-19 economic recovery,” she added.
Legacy projects will shape and transform the urban fabric of our neighbourhoods leaving a real and lasting positive impact for future generations. “In Forbes, and in our entire state of NSW, we are proud of our diverse range of public spaces, from our bushlands, trails, to our parks, plazas and playgrounds,” Mayor Miller said. Please contact our project team if you have any questions or concerns. Project Director, Mathew Teale Director of Planning and Growth on 02 6850 2300 or Mathew.teale@forbes.nsw.gov.au. Project Manager, Danial Speer Manager Works on 02 6850 2300 or danial.speer@forbes.nsw.gov.au.