Alice Springs Council reveals major projects prioritised for 2021
FROM parks and sporting facilities, to supporting local businesses, Alice Springs Council has revealed its major projects wishlist for 2021
Centralian Advocate
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RATEPAYERS in Alice Springs and the MacDonnell Regional councils can look forward to improved facilities in 2021, including refurbished parks and road upgrades, as well as two more rounds of the myAlice stimulus campaign.
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Alice Springs Town Council
THREE public parks in Alice Springs will be refurbished in 2021, with the council flagging the project as a major priority for the new year.
Mayor Damien Ryan said Ashwin, Madigan and Tucker parks would undergo upgrades to economise on water usage and enhance usability with new plantings, fixtures, shade structures and play equipment.
“We are also looking forward to opening the Rotaract dog park very soon,” he said.
Other projects rolling out in early 2021 include the continuation of the myAlice scheme, with rounds two and three released in January and February respectively and Rhonda Diano Oval nearing completion.
The revitalisation of the CBD will also be continued as a joint project between the council and NT government.
Mr Ryan said although it was an “unusual and challenging year” for Centralians, he was proud of the community’s response. “I’m pleased to also see so many locals choosing to support local businesses, both through the pandemic and especially now going into Christmas,” he said.
“I’d like to encourage both visitors and locals to log on to myalice.me to take advantage of the NT government and council’s joint funding package of $400,00 injection into the local economy.
“Council remains committed to providing the community with a high standard of essential municipal services, the healthy communities program, the library and pool public facilities, the various festivals and events such as the council night markets, Seniors Still Got Talent, citizenship ceremonies, skate park Holiday program, multicultural fitness and pop up parks plus the more than 150 community run events that the council supports.”
Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, the council welcomed more than 210 new citizens, completed two more sporting facilities (Ross Park and Albrecht Oval) through the joint government and council $6.2m sporting infrastructure upgrades and installed 2672 solar panels across four new sites.
Macdonnell Regional Council
MRC will kick off the year with a new $4.2m office expansion when the redevelopment of its Bagot Street office is complete in February.
Funded mostly by MRC and Central Desert Regional Council (the joint owners of the site), construction of the two-storey office is part of a significant investment in infrastructure to the region that encompasses 13 remote communities.
Chief executive Jeff MacLeod said the council maintained job security for more than 500 employees.
“Our budgeted operational expenditure for 2020/21 of $44.5m includes significant infrastructure investment of $14.2m in upgrades to community buildings and roads and the $4.2m expansion of the Bagot Street office.
“We have outgrown our existing Alice Springs office and we’re pleased that with this addition to the Bagot Street office, we’ll be able to return and continue to operate from the location we have been in since 2009.”
Mr MacLeod said a key objective of the 2020-21 MRC Regional Plan was for MRC’s infrastructure to meet community needs.
“MRC want to plan with communities to identify the current and future infrastructure needs for the next 5-10 years,” he said.
“This vision will add value and sustainability to projects funded through LA project funding, which is made available by the Northern Territory government.
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“Though no funding has been allocated to the plans yet, they are being drafted visually, increasing the ability for remote communities to envision their future needs and engage with the process.
“Consultation for these plans begins with and will be approved by the MRC Local Authorities by June 2021.”
MRC president Roxanne Kenny said a lot had been achieved across the 13 MRC communities in the past 10 years.
Another council priority in 2021 is providing ongoing support for the establishment of Youth Boards.
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