New features part of $1.48m park upgrade
A $1.48 million contract has been awarded for a major park upgrade of Drouin’s Civic Park.
Local company Mad Cat Constructions will undertake the works that feature a water play area, fitness park, new playground and a wetland park with boardwalk.
The project is being funded by $765,000 from the Latrobe Valley Authority and $250,000 from Drouin and District Community Bank.
More than 200 people had input into a master plan developed for the park.
The masterplan identified 16 short, medium and long term actions. The tender awarded by council will progress eight of those projects.
A report to council said the event lawn and centenary wall identified in the masterplan had already been completed while the public toilets upgrade was underway.
The scope of the project includes:
New play area including playground, trampolines and accessible play equipment; Water play area with splash park; Establishment of a wetland park and board walk;
New fitness park area at the Hopetoun Rd end;
Embankment climbing wall and flying fox; Parkour and kickabout areas;
Extended accessible footpath network including educational traffic loop;
Tree planting and landscaping; and,
Two new barbecue and shelter areas
The Edward St carpark will be sealed and upgraded as part of the works. Eight trees need to be removed to facilitate the works but council was told the trees are not on the significant tree register.
Cr Keith Cook said Drouin Civic Park was designed 40 years ago but over that time vegetation had grown old and elements of the park had aged.
He said it was now time for the park to be updated.
Cr Cook said plans and designs for the park had been finalised and council was now ready to go to tender.
He said Mat Cat Construction had undertaken streetscape works in Warragul that were of the “highest quality, on time and on budget.”
“I look forward to Drouin Civic Park being truly awesome,” he said.
Cr Tricia Jones said a lot of time and effort had gone into this project.
She said key features of the project included an expanded path network, upgrading Edward St car park and creating a cascading water feature.
She said eight trees would be lost for the Edward St works.
Cr Jones said some items had to be removed from the project but hopefully they could be delivered at a later stage.
“Drouin’s Civic Park has long been a popular open space for walkers, park goers and local families.
“This project will breathe new life into the area and provide our growing community with first-rate park facilities to enjoy for years to come,” she said.
Cr Darren Wallace said $1.5 million for a playground seemed a lot “but that area of Drouin commands that sort of attention.”
He said it was an exciting project that he looked forward to seeing completed.
Site investigations and surveys will begin next month to develop detailed designs to guide construction.
Works are expected to start on-site later this year.
The project is expected to be completed by the end of March 2021.