STATE Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin is requesting a one-off $400,000 grant from the NSW Government to construct and maintain a disability-friendly public amenities block in Nimbin’s Peace Park.
Ms Saffin confirmed that she recently wrote to Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole to back the project which local community groups have spent the past 15 years lobbying Lismore City Council for.
The amenities block would service the children’s playground, community pool, the Rainbow Road Walking Track (once constructed), skate ramps and tourist drop-off area in the village which attracts 160,000 tourists annually, Ms Saffin said.
“I’ve assured Minister Toole that this long-overdue project has the overwhelming support of Nimbin’s 2,400 residents, including peak community groups like the Nimbin Advisory Group (NAG) and the Nimbin Community Centre.
“As Nimbin recovers from pandemic lockdowns, followed by landslips and a badly damaged road network from the floods, it needs targeted financial support from Government.
“Amenities blocks are not the most sexy of ribbon-cutting projects but they are essential infrastructure for this growing village.”
Lismore City Council funded preliminary design work on the amenities block with input from NAG and consultant planner Greg Alderson and Associates, and this plan would be updated to meet current needs.
Council has indicated that it is not in a position to fund the necessary capital works and asset maintenance at this time due to budgetary constraints.
Ms Saffin said she had asked the NSW Government to allocate a one-off funding grant to Council of $400,000 – made up of $350,000 for construction and $50,000 to cover five years’ maintenance – to realise this project.
