Billabong Parklands Precinct planned for Bradbury’s Apex Park
BRADBURY’S Apex Park is set to be transformed into a lush green parklands precinct.
Macarthur
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BRADBURY’S Apex Park is set to be transformed into a lush green parkland with its central feature a swimming “billabong”.
To be known as The Billabong Parklands Precinct, funding for the development will be provided under the Western Sydney City Deal.
The deal, a collaborative arrangement between federal, state and local governments, provides local councils with $15 million for a ‘liveability program’ project.
Campbelltown Council will use the grant to fund the parklands precinct.
The council will commit $3.75 million to the park, subject to councillors approving the project at an extraordinary meeting next Tuesday night.
Included in the precinct will be a ‘billabong’ central pool and other water play features.
Campbelltown Mayor George Brticevic said the parklands precinct would be a great tourist attraction but, most of all, it would benefit current and future residents.
“I think it will attract visitors to the area but it’s also great for the surrounding suburbs such as Bradbury,” Cr Brticevic said.
“People will be able to grab a towel and a picnic basket and head down to the billabong.
“With the CBD planned to have more density in the future, council always wanted to have more recreation options but we want quality recreation and I think this achieves that.”
Assuming the precinct is approved by councillors and the state and federal governments, Cr Brticevic said he hoped to see construction start next year.
“My hope would be that it is open by 2020,” he said. “It will be a real place-maker that will rejuvenate that area and be a great sight for people at one of the entrances to the city.”
Cr Brticevic said the council hoped the new billabong parklands would connect with the Campbelltown Arts Centre and Campbelltown Catholic Club precinct in future stages.
Under preliminary plans for the parklands, a pedestrian bridge over Oxley St will connect the parkland with the arts centre.
“There will be masterplanning done for that precinct looking at how we can do things in the future,” Cr Brticevic said.
“The Gordon Fetterplace Aquatic Centre could potentially have some work done there in phase two, but our priority at the moment is getting this first phase done.”
The parklands precinct will effectively replace Campbelltown Council’s plans to construct a lagoon.
Cr Brticevic said the council had identified issues with NSW water safety laws when exploring the idea of constructing the lagoon and had decided to incorporate water features as part of the parklands precinct.