INSIDE: FARRER ROAD OPENS, NEW PROJECT AT BOLTON PARK + MORE
Council News CITY OF WAGGA WAGGA
FIRST PRINTED SATURDAY 8 AUGUST 2020
Issue No: 307
Weekly information from us to you
a happy citizenship day to you! Athmeeya Shaiju will always remember her ninth birthday. It was the same day the Wagga Wagga schoolgirl and her family became Australian citizens at a unique ceremony in the city recently. Athmeeya and her younger brother Aidan, 7, (pictured left) had plenty of reasons to smile and were heading back to their home after the 31 July citizenship ceremony to share some birthday cake. “This is a really great day for my family … it’s my birthday too,” Athmeeya beamed after the ceremony. The family left India for a new life in Australia and chose Wagga Wagga to start their next adventure. “This is a wonderful occasion, and we want to thank the Wagga Wagga community for welcoming us … it is a great day for us,” dad Antony said. The 31 July Citizenship Ceremony was the first in Wagga Wagga since the pandemic. There were two ceremonies to ensure social distancing for the 43 people from 20 countries. More pictures appear inside.
RiFL’s ‘red letter’ day for city Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga Cr Greg Conkey has described this week’s progress on the Riverina Intermodal Freight and Logistics Hub (RiFL) development as a red letter day for the city with significant benefits to the community.
The next important steps in the development of the RiFL Hub at Bomen Business Park were secured on Monday night at an Extraordinary Meeting of Wagga
Wagga City Council. Councillors endorsed entering into an Agreement for Lease (AFL) and Lease with Visy Logistics and also approved the Hub’s Stage 2 and 3 design and construction contract to be awarded to Huon Contractors Pty Ltd. The leasing arrangements facilitate a Public Private Partnership between Council and Visy Logistics and provides the formal agreement for Visy Logistics to operate and manage the RiFL Hub terminal and master siding. It is the most significant step forward for the RiFL Hub program since a $29.2M grant was received under the NSW Government Growing Local Economies program late last year and paves the way for design and construction to be completed by mid-2022. “It has taken about 15 years and the
contributions of many people in that time to reach the point we’re at today,” Cr Conkey said this week. “It really is another red letter day for the city. What this development means to the city, and indeed the wider region, can not be understated. “It will be the economic driver for the region for many, many decades and provide jobs and opportunity for future generations. “A huge ‘well done’ to all involved … to former and current Councillors and Council staff, the State Government and those key stakeholders such as Visy Logistics which is playing a critical role in the next stages.” RiFL Hub will be the core feature of the Bomen Business Park which is also the focus of the recently released draft Special Activation Precinct (SAP) masterplan. Council has been developing the RiFL Hub
program over several years involving three stages for this project. The staging of the project was adapted to suit funding opportunities from Federal and State governments. Stage 1 – Completed. The $35M Enabling Roads Project, which included underpass of Main Southern Railway line, Merino Road and Dorset Drive Construction. Stage 2 – approx. 4.9km rail master siding and intermodal terminal area. Design and Construct contract funded through Transport for NSW Fixing Country Rail program, $14.4M. Stage 3 – 60ha industrial subdivision works, RIFL Road and associated services, and fibre to the premises in the existing Bomen Business Park, funded through NSW Government grant under Growing Local Economies, $29.2M.
Weekly waste tip Be mindful to not overload your bin. If you struggle to shift it, the truck will struggle to lift it. Avoid placing large amounts of soil, rubble or sand in your red lid bin.