By Charlene Gatt
RENEWING aging infrastructure and making the most of open space is the focus of Maribyrnong City Council’s “sustainability and environment” draft budget.
Big-ticket items from the $20.656 million capital works plan include a $3.26 million road improvement program, $2.68 million for the development of the Buckley Street Youth Space and $1.85 million to restore the Yarraville Community Centre.
The council has also committed more than $2 million to a range of park and recreation upgrades, with nearly $700,000 injected into the McIvor Reserve-Wembley Park pavilion development and $415,000 to renew Footscray Hockey Club’s synthetic turf surface.
Adventurous kids will be happy to see new playgrounds installed at Frederick Reserve, McIvor Reserve, Harris Reserve and Dobson Reserve as part of a three-year program. Funding will also go towards street upgrades, libraries, a drainage improvement program and public toilets.
“It’s all about a substantial redevelopment that we’ve been looking at. What we’re trying to do here as councillors is take the long-term financial plan. What we need to do is ensure our future,” Wattle Ward councillor Michael Clarke said.
Mayor Michelle MacDonald said capital works allocations had been heavily influenced by the community budget workshop held in April.
“Our community told us they wanted to see improved open space, more building and asset upgrades, and dedicated programs to tackle issues surrounding climate change,” she said.
Cr MacDonald said cost shifting between the state and federal governments had forced the council to take matters in its own hands and allocate 2.2 per cent of its proposed rate rise to its sustainability and community infrastructure fund.
The fund was implemented in 2006 to renew aging infrastructure.
The council’s finance manager, Bryan Stone, estimated it had missed out on $1.5million in funding through cost shifting. Residents have until 10 June to make submissions on the draft budget. It will be adopted on 24 June.
