Gorton takes the lead
Johnny Gorton will chair a community reference group in charge of steering development of a Horsham riverfront activation project.
Mr Gorton and group members have the job of turning ideas about enhancing the riverfront into detailed plans to go out for public comment later this year.
The group, which met via video conference for the first time last month, is made up of three community and eight Horsham organisation representatives and four Horsham council officers.
The riverfront activation is one of seven precincts included in a Horsham Rural City Council City to River Masterplan, and it will be the first to progress from conceptual ideas to a detailed planning stage.
Mr Gorton is chairman of Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Co-operative and a member of the Horsham council’s Aboriginal Advisory Committee.
He said his aim was to ensure final plans for the riverfront reflected the public’s feedback.
More than 700 people made submissions about the overall masterplan during an engagement period last year, with the community putting many ideas forward about how to improve Horsham’s riverfront.
“I’m looking forward to working with the other committee members. They are all there for the right reason and that is to represent the community,” Mr Gorton said.
“There was a fair bit of debate about the overall City to River plan. But we know from the feedback that making the riverfront better was something that many people supported.
“We probably won’t please absolutely everybody. But what we want to do is make sure everyone’s voice is heard and help deliver a final plan that is a reflection of the discussion process.”
The reference group’s next meeting will be a public webinar from 7pm to 8pm tomorrow.
People can interact with the meeting online at www.hrcc.vic.gov. au/our-council/news-and-media/ Public-invited-to-riverfront-activation-webinar.
“I encourage anyone who has an interest in the project to log on and have a look,” Mr Gorton said.