Plans to create tourism and community showpieces on two sides of he city are gaining momentum with grant applications totaling more than $2.3 million being prepared to fund both projects.
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Maitland City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday night to apply for a NSW Boating Now grant to design and construct community and recreation services at Queen’s Wharf, Morpeth and Lorn Riverbank.
Council will apply for $75,000 towards the engineering design and development approvals for the site access and proposed car park at Lorn Riverbank and $2.28 million for the design and construction of the Queen’s Wharf masterplan.
Fairfax Media reported in June how council agreed to exhibit the Queens Wharf and Lorn Riverbank plans of management and masterplans which flag a second wharf for Morpeth and a community plaza for Lorn.
An objective in council’s +10 Community Strategic Plan was to improve recreational access to the Hunter River and its banks from council-owned land.
After considering a study into access to the Hunter and Paterson rivers, council voted to prepare a plan of management and masterplan for two reserves at Queens Wharf and Lorn Riverbank.
If successful with the grant applications, council will be required to contribute $1,545,000.
A report to Tuesday night’s council meeting said it is proposed that $885,001 be allocated from the 2006 Citywide section 94 plan, $159,999 from the 2016 Citywide Plan and $500,000 from the Special Rate Variation (Improved Access to the Hunter River).
A meeting was held between council’s Community and recreation Services and assets and Infrastructure sections to discuss the appropriateness of applying for grant funding under the NSW Boating Now Program to develop Lorn Riverbank and Queen’s Wharf masterplans.
Consideration was given to resources required to both prepare the applications and undertake the projects before December 2019 and funding currently available.