THIS IS A PAID ADVERTISING WAGGA WAGGA CITY publication COUNCIL Council FEATURE News - ABY Wagga Wagga City Council
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Wagga Wagga City Council weekly newsletter
Saturday 11 November 2023 | Issue #471
Council
Community NOMINATE NOW: Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga Cr Dallas Tout and Council Events Officer Emma Corbett say there is still time for people to get their nominations in for the 2024 Australia Day Awards.
Recognise our community champions: 2024 Australia Day Awards
Help Council shape its Playground Strategy for the next two decades HAVE YOUR SAY: Council’s Strategic Recreation Officer Kadison Hofert and Manager Recreation & Economic Development Ben Creighton encourage the community to give their input on the draft Playground Strategy. Council is seeking community feedback on its draft Playground Strategy 2023-2043, which guides all aspects of Council’s playground management across the Wagga Wagga Local Government Area (LGA) for the next 20 years. At its Ordinary Meeting on Monday night (23 October), Wagga Wagga City Council endorsed placing the draft strategy on exhibition for 28 days, with submissions to be accepted until 7 December 2023. Wagga Wagga City Council's Manager Recreation and Economic Development Ben Creighton is encouraging the community to get involved by having their say on the draft strategy. “This strategy will shape the future of how we develop and manage our play spaces over the next 20 years, so it’s important for the community to provide their input,” Mr Creighton said. “Wagga Wagga is a growing regional city, and we want to ensure our play spaces will meet the needs of the community now and into the future.” Council has 100 playgrounds across the LGA, valued at in excess of $9.5 million and with a combined annual usage of
approximately 500,000 visits. The draft strategy aims to deliver high quality play spaces which are accessible, diverse, safe, and fun for children of all ages, and their caregivers, while also ensuring they can be financially supported by Council. It includes 16 recommendations covering a range of actions required to be implemented to achieve the aims of the strategy. Among these are increasing the annual playground maintenance budget, installing nonverbal communication boards at all suburban and regional playgrounds, and installing large regional level playgrounds in the city’s southern and northern suburbs. There is also a large focus on shade at playgrounds. “We have six recommendations which directly relate to improving shade coverage at existing playgrounds and ensuring it’s integrated in the planning of future play spaces,” Mr Creighton said. “This reflects the wishes of the community, who identified it is a key issue in the online survey conducted by council during the initial review of the Playgrounds
Strategy 2016-2036. “We have also heard their feedback about a water play/splash park for the city, with a recommendation that it be included in the planning for the Bolton Park Masterplan.” The draft Playground Strategy 20162036 is on exhibition from 9 November to 7 December 2023 at haveyoursay. wagga.nsw.gov.au You can also view a copy of the draft strategy at the Customer Service desk at the Civic Centre.
KEEPING COOL: The playground at Jack Avenue in Mount Austin recently had shade sails installed as part of Council’s focus on improving shade coverage at playgrounds across Wagga Wagga and the surrounding villages.
Doing some DIY? Building and construction waste should be taken to Gregadoo Waste Management Centre rather than being placed in your kerbside bins.
To learn more visit: wagga.nsw.gov.au/householdwaste
The local community is being urged to get their nominations in for Wagga Wagga’s 2024 Australia Day Awards, with entries closing at midnight, Sunday 26 November 2023. There are five categories in the awards program: Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, Environmental Citizen of the Year Award, Ted Ryder Sports Memorial Award, and the Walk of Honour. Most of the categories are aimed at individual recognition, while the Environmental Citizen of the Year Award can be an individual, environmental organisation, or community group. Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga Councillor Dallas Tout said it is not too late to put in a nomination. “If you have been thinking about a local champion who is making a contribution to the community, now is the time to give them the recognition they deserve,” Cr Tout said. “The online nomination process has been streamlined so applications can be completed efficiently, or you can submit a paper-based application if you prefer.” Council’s Events Officer Emma Corbett said the committee would love to see a diverse range of applicants across all the award categories. “Wagga Wagga is a generous community and is made up of hundreds of volunteers who provide support to a range of organisations, sporting groups, youth initiatives, charities and more,” Ms Corbett said. “We want to honour the contributions that are being made across the city and encourage our community members to step forward to put in a nomination for deserving candidates.” Nominations close at midnight, Sunday 26 November 2023. To submit an online nomination, visit wagga.nsw.gov.au/australiaday or pick up a hard copy application form from the Customer Service desk at the Civic Centre. For further information please contact events@wagga.nsw.gov.au or call 1300 292 442.