LITHGOW Council has agreed that it is time for Lithgow to start re-inventing itself but far from a cosmetic touch up the civic leaders are thinking big.
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And it won’t come cheaply.
At this week’s meeting of council the likely cost of rejuvenation was indicated at around $9 million.
Council has been putting money aside in the budget in the past two years but members are concerned that at this rate it will take a long time to accomplish desired goals.
Now council is hopeful of obtaining funding under the Resources for Regions scheme where mining communities share in royalties paid to the NSW Government by mining companies.
The CBD redevelopment issue arose when councillors were debating the order of priorities on the wish list for the next round of grants.
Lithgow has previously received grants of $10.5 million for the waste water treatment plant at Portland and $3.5 million for replacement of the Black Bridge at Wallerawang.
Now Lithgow has been identified as one of just 11 Local Government Areas around NSW eligible for grants in the 2014/15 program along with places including Mudgee, Maitland, Newcastle and Wollongong.
After a lengthy debate council voted on a short list of three projects to seek funding.
And while the CBD revitalisation would have popular appeal it will have to take its chances with two other projects that were rated of greater importance.
Council will submit its applications for funding for the Cullen Bullen sewerage scheme, the Lithgow Rural Fire Services headquarters and helipad upgrade and the CBD project, in that order of priority.
Councillors said that while all three were important there was no doubt that the sewerage scheme for the village of Cullen Bullen demanded priority.
And they said last October’s major bushfires had highlighted the shortfalls at the RFS premises.
Cr Wayne McAndrew said that Cullen Bullen deserved priority if for no other reason than its long mining heritage.
The sewerage scheme is estimated at between six and eight million and the RFS upgrade at $2.5 million.
General manager Roger Bailey told the meeting that $500,000 had been set aside for the CBD revitalisation last year and a further $400,000 in this financial year’s budget.
He said that council officers were estimating a project cost of around $9 million.
Mr Bailey said Singleton and Newcastle had received grants for similar projects.
Expressions of interest close on August 15 and council will know in September if its projects have made the shortlist accepted by the administering government agency.
