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Horsham riverfront plan milestone

By DEAN LAWSON

A plan to redevelop community attractions in Horsham’s primary riverfront precinct has reached a critical milestone.

Project planners, determined to get as much community input and direction into the project as possible, have presented draft concept plans for public scrutiny.

After more than two months of extensive engagement with a broad cross section of user organisations, they have presented an overall picture of what the development might look like moving forward.



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Detailed maps, other planning details and engagement references for the Horsham Riverfront Activation Project appear in a two-page spread in today’s edition of The Weekly Advertiser, on pages 26 and 27.

 

 

 

A community reference group, involving independent Horsham representatives, has driven much of the project’s public-assessment stage.

Horsham Rural City Council wants extensive community engagement to satisfy as many thoughts as possible and has been busy working on ways to allow remote consultation.

It had planned face-to-face drop-in sessions, but COVID-19 social-distancing restrictions means it will now have 13 online ‘Zoom’ group meetings and provide opportunities for people to complete an online feedback questionnaire.

It is trying to get as many community submissions as possible together in a two to three-week response time frame.

Council arts, culture and recreation manager Carolynne Hamdorf agreed getting public involvement in the project was important regardless of stage-three restrictions. 

She said she had been surprised by how much interest the project had generated and how willing people had been to make a contribution.

“There is a great sense of optimism about what Horsham and the riverfront can be and we’re putting it all out there for everyone to look at what we have come up with so far,” she said.

“We understand it is a difficult time to do anything, especially with communication, and we’re being as flexible as we can in providing ways for people to provide feedback.

“The plans come on the back of two and half months of engaging with local sporting, cultural, social and business user groups, who have provided good, constructive feedback to allow us to come to the stage we’ve reached.

“They include clear definitions of proposed final locations for riverfront developments including a café, natural water-play area and other landscaping enhancements.”

 

 

 

The entire August 12, 2020 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!