Bushfire-affected village set for $1.2m rebirth

FROM a massive pool upgrade to helping building a bushfire-affected village, Richmond Valley Council’s $31 million capital works program has a lot to offer.

BUSHFIRE RECOVERY: The village of Rappville will receive more than $1.07 million to help create the Rappville Hall and Community Precinct, according to the Richmond Valley Council draft budget for 2020/21. Photo: Nathan Edwards

RESIDENTS of the Richmond Valley will soon be reaping the benefits after the council set aside more than $31 million for their capital works program.

According the Richmond Valley Council’s business papers, “despite the council having faced a number of challenges during the last 12 months, including natural disasters and most recently the coronavirus pandemic, there are a number of key projects included in the 2020/2021 budget”.

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“This demonstrates council’s desire to continue to deliver its capital works program and to continue to rebuild the bushfire, drought and flood affected areas of the Richmond Valley,” the documents say.

The council’s draft budget includes a capital works program of $31,883,597 for the 2020/2021 financial year.

According to the budget, the council’s major financial burdens will be on roads, infrastructure renewal and implementing the Northern Rivers Rail Trail.

Roads throughout the council network are expected to cost approximately $6,311,000 during the year, including $3.3 million for sealed rural roads, $1.3 million for urban roads, $1.1 million for sealed regional roads and $442,000 for unsealed rural roads.

More than $6.2 million will be spent on renewing vital infrastructure, with sewerage, water and stormwater infrastructure costing $3.1 million, $2.5 million and $644,000 respectively.

The most expensive project outside of operational work is the Northern Rivers Rail Trail, which is set to cost approximately $3.15 million.

Other notable major projects include $1.65 million set aside for the first stage of the Casino Swimming Pool upgrade and $1.07 million for the bushfire-affected Rappville Hall and Community Precinct. Rappville Sportsground will also enjoy a $170,000 renewal.

The council will contribute $480,000 to the Evans Head library upgrade, as well as paying $420,000 for Casino Showground upgrades.

Coraki Caravan Park’s amenities will get a $400,000 upgrade, while Broadwater Youth Space will have rope climb and seesaw rockers installed for $107,000.

Casino’s Colley Park soccer fields will see a $127,000 enhancement, followed by $100,000 set aside for community hall upgrades.

Richmond Valley Council’s major projects for 2020/21 include:

• Sealed rural local road renewals $3,341,000

• Northern Rivers Rail Trail $3,150,000

• Sewerage infrastructure renewals $3,113,000

• Nammoona Landfill Cell 6 construction (stage 1) $3,000,000

• Water infrastructure renewals $2,510,000

• Fleet replacement program $2,359,000

• Real estate development projects $2,080,000

• Casino Swimming Pool upgrade works $1,650,000

• Urban road renewals $1,396,000

• Sealed regional road renewals $1,132,000

• Nammoona Landfill capping of Cells 1-4 (stage 1) $1,277,000

• Rappville Hall and Community Precinct $1,076,000

• Stormwater asset renewals $644,000

• Waste FOGO Processing Facility $550,000

• Evans Head Library upgrade (council share) $480,000

• Unsealed rural local road renewals $442,000

• Casino Showground upgrades $420,000

• Coraki Caravan Park amenities upgrade $400,000

• Footpath renewals and construction of new sections $219,000

• Broadwater Youth Space rope climb seesaw rocker $107,000

• Rappville Sportsground renewals $170,000

• Colley Park Casino soccer field enhancement $127,000

• Community hall upgrades $100,000.