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 23 December 2023 | Issue #477
Community
Community
LOOKING GOOD: Dunns Road will be ready to be re-opened to through traffic with the completion of the roundabout construction at the Holbrook Road intersection.
Dunns Road to re-open early 2024
Wagga Wagga will be abuzz with activities this summer ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS: Zookeeper Brooke Caines with Arnold the Olive Python meeting visitors to the Wagga Wagga Zoo and Aviary: Krishna Poudel, Sakrisha Poudel and Sakriya Poudel. With the school holidays now in full swing, there is plenty for locals and visitors to see and do in Wagga Wagga and surrounds over the summer. Our wonderful facilities are providing experiences and workshops to keep children and teens occupied during January. The Botanic Gardens Zoo and Aviary is open seven days a week during the school holidays and is free to enter. Zoo Curator Wendy McNamara said animal encounters every morning will allow visitors to get up close to some of the beloved animals. “Visitors can come along and interact with some of our very friendly residents, such as Arnold the Olive Python and Zeke the Dingo, daily from 10.30am,” Ms McNamara said. “This is followed by the feeding of kangaroos, emus, deer and camels, and at 12:30pm the miniature ponies are taken for a walk in the grounds of the Botanic Gardens.” Oasis Aquatic Centre will be hosting Inflatable Days - large inflatable play equipment available on the outdoor pool on weekends, and Outback Lifesavers will be back to teach young people valuable water safety and lifesaving skills over 5 days from 15 January. To beat the heat there are plenty of
indoor activities available at our local facilities, including the Wagga Wagga City Library, which will host events inhouse and at villages across the local government area Library Outreach Services Team Leader Wendy Harper said “local artist Elaine Camlin will be holding Concertina Art Book Workshops during the school holidays, one in Collingullie on Friday 5 January and one here at the library on Tuesday 16 January.” Additionally, the library will be running a Print and Go workshop at Galore; participants will design and print their own library totes but are welcome to bring a t-shirt of their own to print on. For holiday reading needs, the Agile Library will be on site. The holidays will include free all-ages bingo at Humula on Wednesday 10 and Tarcutta on Tuesday 23 January and a MarioKart tournament on Monday 29 January at the library. Wagga Wagga Art Gallery is hosting Art Camp for children and teens, including making dragon masks, superhero capes, badges, and the Museum of the Riverina – Botanic Gardens site also has a range of free activities available during the holidays, including hat making, origami, digital scavenger hunts and free icy-poles. There are also plenty of free outdoor activities available throughout Wagga
Wagga and surrounds. The Active Travel network features over 50 kilometres of shared pathways which is great for families to go walking and cycling, and there are 100 playgrounds available in the local government area, some with newly installed shade sails for extra sun protection for playground users and carers. Basketball courts are featured in parks around Wagga Wagga, such as Belling Park, Webb Park in Ashmont, Jack Skeers Park in Lake Albert and Henwood Park in Kooringal, and for those who love to be on wheels there are several skate parks and BMX tracks to be found around the region. A map of locations can be found at wagga.nsw.gov.au/parks-andrecreation/recreation As always, water activities are a favourite for most living in, and visiting Wagga Wagga, and the Murrumbidgee River is a popular location for swimming and the use of watercraft. Council would like to remind everyone to take care, be alert, and practise water around the River, inland waterways and swimming pools throughout the summer. For tips on water safety visit wagga. nsw.gov.au/riversafety To find out what’s on near you in Wagga Wagga and surrounds go to visitwagga. com
Dunns Road is expected to open to through traffic at the completion of the roundabout being installed at the Holbrook Road and Dunns Road intersection. Council has made the decision to keep Dunns Road closed during the construction of the roundabout due to detours that would see traffic passing through residential streets. Director Strategy & Projects Phil McMurray said the safety of residents is in mind. “We expect, when Dunns Road reopens, the traffic will more than double what it used to be,” Mr McMurray said. “If we opened it now, while the roundabout was still under construction, this traffic would be diverted away from the Dunns Road and Holbrook Road intersection, and pass through residential streets, with Currawang Drive and Mirbelia Drive ‘bearing the brunt’ of the traffic. “After having to place a hard-closure on Dunns Road in August due to motorists blatantly ignoring signage and driving through the construction site, we are not confident that all motorists will take care whilst driving through the detour streets. “For this reason, we decided to keep Dunns Road closed until the roundabout is complete.” Originally the Holbrook Road intersection was to be closed to traffic from Dunns Road (western side) and Lloyd Road (eastern side) from midNovember, however the contractor resolved to keep it open under traffic control during preparation works. It is now expected contractors will close the intersection to eastern and western traffic from mid-January when they return to work after the Christmas shut-down period. Motorists travelling on Holbrook Road will continue to be able to pass through the intersection under traffic control during the construction phase, with the roundabout to be constructed in halves. When construction of the roundabout at the Holbrook Road intersection concludes, Dunns Road will be re-opened to through traffic. For more information about the Dunns Road Upgrade visit the project page haveyoursay.wagga.nsw.gov.au/ dunns-road-upgrade
Council Christmas trading hours Council administration will close for the Christmas holiday period. Check our website to see our opening hours over the festive season.
wagga.nsw.gov.au/openhours