Walka’s massive potential
I call on our civic leaders to recognise the great opportunity for Maitland presented by Walka Water Works Recreation & Wildlife Park, something unique to have a 64 hectare bushland site only two kilometres from the city centre and central to our whole city.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The park provides the opportunity for residents and tourists to walk on designated pathways through the natural bushland and enjoy that experience that is not always available to city folk.
The park is home to Maitland Parkrun every Saturday morning with up to 500 registered runners participating in what has been recognised by Australia Parkrun as one of the best sites in Australia.
The pathways are regularly used through week days by walkers and runners, one such pathway gives you the opportunity to observe native animals and birds.
Potential, that is the most used word I have heard by many visitors to Walka over the years - Maitland Council is the current trust appointed by the state government to manage and maintain the site, it is time for council to exploit that potential and make Walka the jewel in Maitland's crown.
Council should, in my view, seek financial support from other sources to assist in management of the site.
Walka is the birthplace of Hunter Water Corp. to provide a domestic water supply to Newcastle and the Lower Hunter including for health reasons. In my view, Maitland Council should make a submission for funding by Hunter Water Corp. to assist in the management of the site, it probably should be at the expense of the millions of dollars paid as dividend to the state government each year.
Walka has a NSW Heritage classification, and as such, would be entitled to heritage funding on identified projects, especially the main pump-house. They have funded projects in the past.
I would think if Maitland Council were to make submissions to the state government for funding from various ministries especially public parks, it may prove successful.
Finally, Maitland City Council needs to make a firm decision to fund this facility and maintain it to the standard of the previous state public trust as agreed to when written agreements were signed by council and the NSW Lands Dept.
Ray Fairweather, East Maitland
Library funding boost
I am hoping to clarify a few points which were raised in a letter to the editor in the Maitland Mercury on Friday September 7 by Michael Voorbij.
Mr Voorbij has indicated that the NSW State Government had made cuts to library funding across NSW, and that our elected councillors to Maitland City Council were supportive of these cuts.
Mr Voorbij can rest assured that funding from the NSW Government for local libraries has not been cut, but actually increased from $28.8 million in 2017/18 to $29.5 million for 2018/19. Further to this, the government has committed to record increases to library funding with an additional $60 million over the next four years. This will lift the per capita subsidy from $1.85 to $2.85, the largest increase in funding since the Libraries Act of 1939.
Not one of the councillors at Maitland City Council have voiced support for a cut to funding for our local libraries. This issue came up at council in August where two different motions were debated, both of which were calling on more funding (not less) for our libraries in Maitland. Every councillor present supported at least one of the two motions which were presented at that meeting.
This additional investment from the NSW Government in our local public libraries will provide for a wide range of community needs such as better access to collections, children’s services, public IT, events and programs … and transform the way libraries deliver much needed services to regional areas.
