Council inks plan
Adirective providing the backbone for Ararat municipal development for the next two years includes schemes involving Willaura and Pomonal, redevelopment of Ararat’s Mcdonald Centre and completion of an Ararat Links project connecting Alexandra Oval and Ararat Skate Park.
Ararat Rural City Council’s 2017-2021 plan also features a push to establish a cultural festival in the municipality in 2019-20 and advocating for an Ararat Regional Park Mountain Bike Track.
The council has released the plan for public comment and is now encouraging the community to have its say.
It has invited submissions on the document until 5.15pm on June 11. People can also speak to their submission at a special council meeting on the evening of June 11.
Ararat mayor Peter Beales said a council plan was one of the most important documents a council developed.
“The plan is the foundation for everything we’ll strive to achieve over the next three years, providing a solid framework as we conduct our day-to-day business,” he said.
“Ararat Rural City Council is committed to serving its community and the council plan outlines how we will do that to the best of our abilities.
“The council wanted the new plan to look to the future, providing a way forward to ensure our
community is confident we can provide the very best services possible.”
Cr Beales said the council undertook extensive community engagement in developing the plan, ensuring it heard the opinions of as many people as possible before listing projects and courses of action.
He said the council plan was built on a strategic direction that aimed to ensure the community was at the forefront of everything the organisation did, ‘whether it is grading a road, providing Meals on Wheels, setting your rates or building a new community facility’.
The council has listed notable achievements to have already emerged from the plan as: • Completion and re-opening of the Ararat Arts Precinct redevelopment. • Construction of Ararat Men’s Shed. • Construction of irrigation systems at Ararat’s Gordon Street Oval and Pomonal and Lake Bolac recreation reserves. • Receiving funding for an Ararat on the Move and Active Links Projects – Alexandra Active Corridor. • Tatyoon Recreation Reserve changerooms. • Willaura Hall redevelopment.
Information on how people can make a submission is available on the council’s website www. ararat.vic.gov.au.
• Ararat Rural City Council releases its 2019-20 draft budget, page 17.