5 things at Council: Waste dominates agenda but CBD tower offers glimpse of future

While the region’s mounting tip issues get plenty of attention at today’s Council meeting, a long awaited CBD tower block plan moves a step closer.

As part of their plans for a $44-million highrise, CEO John Rafferty said the C.ex Group envisions Vernon St to become a food strip similar to Moonee St.

This week’s council meeting could be pivotal in how council progresses its waste problem but a unique CBD project should get the attention it deserves. Here are some of the highlights from a riveting agenda.

C.ex CBD project to get the tick and flick

There is no doubt Coffs CBD needs something to get it buzzing and a new development by C.ex Group could go some way to doing just that.

The importance of the 13 storey mixed retail and residential building shouldn’t be underestimated as successful cities centres build and leverage a critical mass of people to enhance economic activity.

While councillors will only be noting the $44 million development application has been lodged with the relevant planning authorities, it should serve as a reminder that a community living in a city so constrained by geography can look up for the answers.

For more on C.ex’s ‘lofty vision’ read our full report. 

Artist's impression of C.ex Group's proposed high-rise in the Coffs CBD. Entrance from Vernon St.

Englands Rd rubbish mountain to grow.

To nobody’s surprise, Council have revealed there are just a couple of years left before we reach peak landfill at Englands Rd, meaning Councillors have to decide on whether or not to increase its capacity.

For non-engineers, the art of increasing tip capacity can be explained with an everyday example most people will be familiar with. Think of that time in the week when your bin starts getting full and stinky.

Nobody wants to change that bag and take it all the way out to the red bin, am I right? So the best course of action is to cram the rubbish down nice and tight, while delicately lifting the bag higher to ensure you get another couple of days out of it before your partner rouses on you.

For a more technical assessment of the planned wall-raising read our coverage here. 

‘The Concept’: a Coffs Council and EPA production.

Of the two confidential matters relating to waste management there is one so opaque it is hard not to let the imagination run wild. Just what is ‘The Concept’?

So sensitive is ‘The Concept’, put forward for consideration by the Environmental Protection Authority, it remains top secret. Though staff note ‘The Concept’ will have positive environmental outcomes and a social benefit.

Obviously, confidentiality is not maintained for no reason, so my money is on ‘The Concept’ being a book to rival that of Rhonda Byrne’s self help bible ‘The Secret’ or some kind of mind-bending screenplay destined for the hands of Christopher Nolan.

For our full report on Council’s confidential court costsread on here.

Work on the Bunker Cartoon Gallery redevelopment is now complete and attendances have tripled. Photo: Tim Jarrett

Bunker Gallery seeks some more help.

With attendances through the roof, the redevelopment of the National Cartoon Gallery at the Bunker has been quite the success. However, that success hasn’t meant financial self-sufficiency and the organisation is asking for money from council to ensure it can retain three staff members.

It could be a tricky one, with the facility’s obvious cultural benefit to the region having to be weighed against some financial risks which have been raised by council staff since the plan first arose.

Check out our full report here.

Winter swimming awaits?

Coffs Harbour swimmers who use the Memorial Olympic Pool could be one lap closer to warmth as Councillors consider whether to include a $530,000 plan to heat the pool in a future delivery program.

A report was requested in March andthe project is estimated to cost about $110,000 per year to operate and would not be able to be powered by on-site renewable energy generation.