Footpath blitz addresses need
A blitz on footpaths will see 24 new footpaths and an $850,000 trail between Erica and Rawson constructed next financial year.
A $3 million initiative over two years aims to develop missing links in the shire’s primary footpath network across major, minor and tourist towns.
Mayor Danny Goss said the program responded to something the community had been “screaming out for.”
The $1.5 million accelerated footpath program included in next year’s draft budget is on top of almost $500,000 to be spent as part of council’s annual commitment to paths.
A federal government grant has enabled council to include the Erica and Rawson trail as a last-minute addition to the draft budget.
Council will allocate $850,000 to construct a 4.7km sand path connecting Henty St, Erica to Pinnacle Drv, Rawson.
Cr Goss said the accelerated paths program enabled council to address an issue that “the community was screaming out for.”
“Footpaths are a hot button and I think this will go down very, very well. We are really pleased to be able to deliver this and it’s not just in Warragul, we have broken it up for smaller towns and tourist towns as well.
“There is a desire to see the primary network completed…obviously we won’t please everyone because we can’t do them all straight away,” he said.
Community assets director Cohen van der Velde said the program responded to the Paths and Trails Strategy adopted by council last year.
He said the strategy identified the needs for paths and trails across the shire and then classified them into major, minor and tourist towns and villages.
He said it was a response to a lot of community requests about footpaths.
Mr Van der Velde said the primary network linked key points of interest in towns including shops, schools and bus stops.
The $1.5 million accelerated footpath program includes:
Major town paths: Shillinglaw Rd, Drouin (Gardner and Holman Rd to Settlement Rd) Main South Rd, Drouin (Summerhill Bvd to Pryor Rd)
Church St, Drouin (100m from Winters Ave to Bright Crt)
Victoria St, Drouin (Existing path outside Scout Club to St Ita’s Primary School)
Princess St, Warragul (O’Dowds Rd to Edinburgh St)
Albert Rd, Warragul (Phoenix St to North Rd) Princes Highway Service Rd, Yarragon (Rollo St to toilet block)
Hollydell Park Linear Reserve, Trafalgar (Edward Cres to Cross R)
Chapmans Rd, Trafalgar (Kitchener St to School R).
Minor town paths: Johnson
(Main St to Gaul Ave)
Main St, Darnum (Cropley St to Graham St) Moe Willow Grove Rd, Willow Grove (School Rd to Willow Grove Rd).
Tourist town paths: Mt Baw Baw
Noojee (Bennett St to hotel).
Village paths: Main Neerim Rd, Neerim Junction (2930 Main Neerim Rd to 2980 Main Neerim Rd).
Council’s annual footpath program includes $210,000 for sealed and renewal works to address sections of paths in: Warragul – Centre Ave; Kent St Linear Reserve; Brooker Park from Charles St; Burke St service Rd; Oak Crt access reserve; Windsor Ave; Valleyview Park; and, Drouin – Cook St; Buritta Crt.
Council also will spend $100,000 on its gravel path renewal program; $118,000 on trip hazards; 30,000 to make a footpath from Hope St to Hamp Lane in Drouin Disabled Discrimination Act compliant; and, $25,000 for footpath ramp renewal.
St, Darnum
Tourist Rd,