Flow-on impacts concern
I WRITE regarding the current Wimmera River and Central Activities District planning process being undertaken by our council.
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Community concerns that have not, or are not being addressed include:
- What is being sold as a vision is actually plans underway despite the community feedback opportunity not being closed;
- The plans presented are single choice with no alternative options and do not reflect wider community imperatives; and
- In the absence of any costings there is increasing concern that the 20-year plans will result in crippling long term debt to ratepayers.
To assist, I provide the following:
- There is no specific council motion approving these plans, yet they are certainly underway. Funds are allocated, federal funds have been sourced ($1.65million) and community groups have been told their tenure will expire;
- No alternatives are provided, despite the Council Plan 2019-23 requiring, for example, council to investigate other options for the Wimmera sports stadium (Plan 3.4.07 - page 26); and
- I am most concerned that no cost estimates have been provided. We need to know what we can afford and how much debt we are comfortable with.
Quantifiable costs in the plans exceed $100 million which means that ratepayers may have to find up to $5 million per year over 20 years, plus interest and operating costs - less any government grants. This is a rate hike of up to 25 per cent per annum if we cannot attract other funding.
To assist in the process, I have made inquiries of some of parties impacted by the council plans to gauge what might be a likely community cost. Anonymity is provided to minimise business impact.
The Horsham City Oval realignment and replacement of buildings and land aquisition would cost $40m on the planned alignment; the multi-user sports stadium $25m and Horsham Greyhound Track relocation $20m, both with operating expenses excluded; major business A $10m and major business B $1m; Horsham Lawn Tennis courts and croquet club $6m; and the miniature railway $1m.
Twenty years of no growth may well be a death sentence to a club or group, is certainly not good for impacted businesses and clearly detrimental to employment.
Parallel parking in the CBD is perceived as being detrimental to business. The failure to resolve heavy vehicle congestion in the CBD and the disappearance of McBryde Street are perceived to be unproductive and unsafe.
It is not acceptable that the community are asked to make decisions without being fully informed.
John Robinson, councillor, Horsham Rural City
Rail capacity options
I WRITE regarding the story, Rail under threat (Wimmera Mail-Times, August 16).
Pardon? When the standardisation of rail was the flavour of the year, why wasn't it built to a speed capacity far above the capability of that day? That would have given rail an edge in both passenger and general freight. Oh, I see - not enough money. Isn't that typical of a very broad picture some of us have been railing against for decades. It is beyond time to make what is physically possible, financially possible.
Ron Fischer, Horsham