The Wingham community will have more opportunities to discuss the draft Central Park master plan with MidCoast Council over the coming week.
A second pop-up in the park is scheduled for 3.30pm-5.30pm Thursday 24 October, and a third opportunity has been added at Wingham Library from 10.30am – 12.30pm on Tuesday 29 October.
Liam Bulley, Council’s Executive Manager of Public Spaces, said the extra pop-up is for anyone who missed the 16 October event due to bad weather.
“We’ve heard some great feedback from the community, but as we had to move location to the main street, we want to make sure that no one misses out on having their say,” Mr Bulley said.
“We want to hear from all park users including children, parents, grandparents and sporting groups to make sure we meet the needs of the community now and into the future.”
“At our first pop-up the team met with community members who gave great insight into the history of the park.”
Staff were able show attendees how to leave feedback online, and explain points of interest and rationale behind some of the proposed ideas and elements in the plan.
“A number of people expressed concern over the current drainage of the park. We were able to explain that there are design solutions that can be integrated to deal with this,” Mr Bulley said.
“We also heard that the plane and log hold sentimental value to many in the community. It is important to understand that these items can be kept in their current locations, however they will need to be removed at the end of their life, particularly if safety becomes as issue.”
Most people were supportive of creating cohesive spaces, such as relocating the playground closer to the amenities block and barbecue area for better accessibility and safety for families.
Concern was also raised over the loss of caravan parking spaces for visitors who come to town and boost the local economy by shopping in the streets surrounding Central Park. The impact of any change to parking will be reviewed when considering the broader feedback in relation to the master plan.
