Community & Business
14 October, 2022
Parks on track for year end
RESIDENTS in Kuranda and Amaroo in Mareeba will be able to enjoy their new playgrounds before the end of the year as progress on Mareeba Shire Council’s three-year Parks and Open Spaces action plan continues.
Tenders for the new playgrounds at Kuranda’s Centenary Park and at Hastie Road, Mareeba have been awarded, with works aiming to commence by November depending on availability of the equipment. It is expected the projects will be completed in three weeks from commencement.
Works are also progressing to improve the Mareeba Rail Trail from the town to the airport, with the project to be completed by the end of the year.
The much-anticipated major upgrade to the Bicentennial Lakes area is also progressing, with tenders received for both the southern and northern sections and $166,200 in funding awarded to the project by the State Government.
The upgrade will provide a naturally shaded parkland with waterway features, playground and pathways adjacent to the Mareeba State High School and the Mareeba Sporting Precinct.
The design work is set to be completed at the end of the year,
with construction around the southern lakes to start at the be-ginning of 2023 followed by the northern lakes in the 2023/24 financial year.
Initial discussions have also taken place regarding the up-grade to Bill Newman Park at Irvinebank, with a draft proposal being prepared.
Sunset Park, Mareeba, and Roscommon Park, Speewah are the next priorities for replacement of exercise equipment, while the contract for the revitalisation of Anzac Park in Mareeba has been awarded, with construction expected to start later this month.
Mareeba’s new water splash park is also on track, with a contractor engaged, and confirmation that Ergon Energy has agreed to upgrade the power supply to the swimming centre at no cost to the project.
Upgrades to Kuranda’s walking trails are also progressing, with funding received from the State Government to undertake a Walking Network Planning project, which will include com-munity engagement that is expected to start in October