City to River Vision: Have Your Say All feedback will help form the final Masterplan presented to Council

The draft plan includes a list of recommendations that seek to further activate central Horsham and the river as a key tourism, business, sport and recreation asset for the city. Independent consultant firms Urban Enterprise and Tract have produced the Draft Masterplan based on public engagement completed between January and March this year. It is a concept only with details open to public feedback, which will be used to form the final Masterplan to be presented to Councillors in the coming months. Highlights of the Masterplan include a large scale redevelopment of Horsham City Oval, the development of a permanent cafe by the Wimmera River, a water splash park and redesigned linkages between the city and the waterfront. Residents and other stakeholders can have their say on the draft plan via information sessions and by lodging submissions online and in writing. HRCC Chief Executive Officer Sunil Bhalla said this Masterplan provided a clear blueprint for the future of the centre of Horsham. “The City to River Masterplan is transformational and exciting. Without a long-term vision and broad participation by the Horsham community, meaningful change, investment and improvement will not be possible,” Mr Bhalla said “During the exhibition period we are focused on gathering as much feedback from the community as possible, from as broader cross section as possible. We want to know how the ideas might change how people use and access the River front and if they think the ideas will improve Horsham as a destination for visitors” Following public exhibition, a detailed action and implementation plan will be prepared and, pending endorsement from Councillors, HRCC will seek funding for major projects in partnership with other levels of Government.