Tender awarded for temporary green space in city centre

Wodonga Council has awarded a tender to create a temporary green space in the city centre on Junction Place land.

The site, previously used as a car yard known as Goldpoint Motors, forms part of the Central Place development precinct owned by Development Victoria.

The council has leased the 6150 square metre site between Junction Square and Jack Hore Way for a seven-year licence to enable the activation of the space until such time as it is developed.

The proposed works will see just under half turfed with paved areas and a path to Jack Hore Way, benches with umbrellas and tree and shrub plantings in a similar design to the surrounding precinct.

The turf will be irrigated to ensure year-round useability. The landscaped area will also be protected by bollards along the western and southern edges.

The remaining area will be reinstated to be used as an overflow carpark for the precinct with access off Church St.

The project is being partly funded by the National Stronger Regions Fund following savings made on the four-year project that was completed with the final stage of High St.

The savings will also go to an extension of Richardson Park and an allocation towards the library-gallery redevelopment.

Councillors welcomed the idea of providing more green spaces and shade in the city centre, however, reiterated that the park was temporary.

Wodonga Mayor Cr Anna Speedie said the savings meant the council could reinvest funds into other projects in the community and have the opportunity to beautify a key visitation area in the city to continue to draw visitors and the community to the city centre.

“This is one of the things we do for our community to make our High St, our CBA precinct, neat and tidy,” Cr John Watson said in moving the motion to accept the tender.

“I think it is a great thing to not have a wire barrier around a vacant lot.”

Works will begin in March and are due to be completed by June.

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