The ongoing Taylor Park upgrade was in focus at Weddin Shire Council's ordinary monthly meeting with the Director of Corporate Services Kathryn Brock saying they have identified that while project is being delivered under two grant funding programs, the existing budget doesn't include an updated irrigation system going into the park
"Because of the nature of this project and the high profile development of the park we want to ensure the finished project is maintained in the standard that it is delivered in, particularly in periods of drought or environmental matters," she said.
Ms Brock said they wanted to recommend that an irrigation system is included rather than relying on hand watering by Council staff which is the current consideration in the existing program.
Ms Brock said they have some time sensitivity on this as the landscaping is about to begin and the best way to get the irrigation done is before the turf is laid.
Councillors voted in favour of the motion to roll over $27,000 from the 2024/25 parks and garden budget to the 2025/26 budget and reallocate it for the Taylor Park irrigation project.
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In Council's business paper, it was noted that the available budget is insufficient to cover irrigation installation in Taylor Park. The business paper noted there are
time constraints on completing this installation which needs to occur in conjunction with the landscaping program, scheduled to commence mid July 2025.
Councillor Jan Parlett said she thinks it is important they do the Taylor Park project well as they have invested so much into this project, and is a really good project to support.
Cr Parlett said she did initially worry about and ask about the $27,000, but it isn't going to jeopardise parks and gardens, so it is a good investment.
Councillor Colleen Gorman said she wanted to add that Taylor Park will be irrigated with recycled water, which will make a big difference and it won't be wasting water.
Cr Gorman said looking at the size of the park and the things that have been changed, they really need to update that irrigation to make it work.
Councillor Wezley Makin asked if it was covering a full replacement of the irrigation or in addition to the current irrigation.
Acting General Manager Luke Sheehan said there will be areas that will be new, and some areas they might be able to utilise some of the existing irrigation system.
Mr Sheehan said one of the issues they have run into is that is an older irrigation system and they don't have a lot of plans of where everything runs.
In certain areas Council had to do a bit more excavation to make sure disabled access was compliant in certain areas, Mr Sheehan said, which means some areas of irriagation has been uncovered and will need to be replaced.
As well as this, Mr Sheehan said they also have some new areas which they are creating which means the irrigation system will go extend into.
Mr Sheehan said the aim is to spend the money now to implement the irrigation system, so they are saving money down the track in terms of time and maintenance.
Councilor John Niven asked if there were no plans when the project was put together,
Mr Sheehan said they did have irrigation up there and they were hoping that would remain in place.
However, Mr Sheehan said there has been a requirement to do more excavation to get the ramps compliant and have run into that existing irrigation, causing them to cut and divert the irrigation.
There was a plan originally that some parts would be hand watered, Mr Sheehan said, which would be a large in cost to Council particularly during a drought or in summer.
Cr Gorman said implementing the automatic system is a much more economical way of labour costing and time management for staff who might be needed in other areas.
Ms Brock said if this is done at a later date, it would incur additional costs because they would have to pull up lawns and do other changes, and now would be optimal time to install it.
Mr Sheehan said touching on Cr Niven's point is that part of the money would be used on designing it appropriately so it is the most efficient way of doing it appropriately.
Councillor Paul Best said he thinks the most important thing is they have been lucky to have two grants of nearly a million dollars to upgrade a park in town, and is a bit of a no brainer if it comes at a cost of $27,000 to upgrade the irrigation for the longevity of the park, plants and grass.
Cr Best said this comes from a parks and gardens budget that was unspent last year and just rolling it over to spend on parks and gardens this year.
