At the final Council meeting of the year it was pleasing to see that feedback from the community has informed the final Burdekin Park Landscape Master Plan.
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A plan that thankfully does not include relocating the cenotaph to a central location in the park.
This was originally put forward in what was described as “Concept Plan 2” but was rejected by the community during the consultation period.
According to the relevant Council report, “the community responded for 32:57 against this proposal”.
And, although concerns about the physical damage it would cause to the structure were raised, the report says it was the historical and emotional significance that influenced the decision to leave the monument where it is. So why put it on the table in the first place?
It costs money to hire firms to draft such plans so why didn’t they conduct the appropriate background research and establish it’s “historical and emotional significance?” This monument has been in it’s current location for a period approaching 100 years. But at least common sense has prevailed, and moving forward the main features of the plan are:
- improvements to Singleton Museum including the re-roofing in heritage style of the rear (east) section and a partly covered pergola at the eastern end of the building; replacement of the public amenities building; Munro Fountain to stay in current location and improved in terms of layout and landscaping; improved picnic shelters and accessibility; tractors to stay in current location; interpretative signs related to the history of the park and flying foxes; improve lighting to the entire park to ensure safety of users; and for a Tidy Towns display area to be provided on the northern side of the museum.
Also on the subject of money being wasted on blueprints, at the same meeting it was revealed around $100 000 has been spent on the adopted Village Master Plans.
These strategic documents seek to provide improvements to the public domain areas of the villages to underpin their sustainability, enhance the amenity and to contribute to more vibrant, revitalised and sustainable villages where people enjoy living and visiting.
Yet one of the villages prioritised, Bulga, is about to be swallowed up by an open cut mining operation. Go figure?
