Park precinct has enormous potential

As a starting point to what mayor Danny Goss describes as a long-term approach to making it a centrepiece of the town’s central business district, council is seeking ideas from the public on what the precinct could look like and provide in the future.

It is an opportunity to have a say in one of the biggest programs to make changes to accessing facilities and services, Cr Goss said.

While stressing that council had a blank canvas for what redevelopment, upgrades or new facilities could be undertaken the mayor ruled a line through any ideas that would reduce the “green areas,” that is, the existing parkland.

The major built feature of the precinct is the West Gippsland Arts Centre, recently expanded and redeveloped at a cost of $14 million.

But the area also contains offices that still accommodate some shire staff, the Fountain Room meeting and function room that council uses as for its regular meetings and facilities utilised by several community groups.

Details of the site and its current uses are available on the council’s website and people can put forward their ideas and priorities of what it could become on the website’s “Have Your Say” section.

Cr Goss said community inputs would influence the development of a master plan for the precinct but emphasised the longer-term nature of the project.

Further public comment would be sought on the master plan once drafted, then concept drawings prepared ahead of development plans.

The plans would be the basis for applications for State and Federal government funding towards costs to which council would contribute through its long-term infrastructure and capital works programs.

The initial opportunity for residents to put their views via “Have Your Say” closes on August 9.

As well as asking people reasons why they currently visit the civic precinct the questionnaire seeks opinions on a range of future options.

Cr Goss said one suggestion already spoken about by councillors was development of a new Warragul library.

“The needs of libraries, what they provide and how they operate have changed greatly”.

A new library building owned by council would also save about $200,000 a year in rent for the current library premises in Victoria St, he said.

Other possibilities listed by council include additional car parking, public toilets, a visitor information centre, additional theatre and rehearsal space, multi-purpose meeting areas, an exhibition and function centre, upgrading of the park and open market space, some council office space and council chambers.

Central ward councillors Mikaela Power and Joe Gauci have strongly endorsed further development of the Civic Park area.

Cr Power said the longterm vision was to better integrate important services and provide areas for the community to get together, collaborate and enjoy things like a library and outdoor markets.

Cr Gauci said visits to and usage of the area had increased hugely since the redevelopment of the arts centre and playground and there was now the chance to build on that momentum.