Mayor's column: focus on irrigation and wet weather management of sports fields

New irrigation schemes are being installed around the parks and sporting fields of Goulburn, as part of the Goulburn Reuse Scheme.

The important sustainability project will allow Goulburn Mulwaree Council to use treated effluent to green our playing fields, parks and gardens, in turn saving use of potable water.

Goulburn locals will remember the years past in extreme droughts where we had to make the difficult decision to cancel sporting seasons due to lack of water for playing fields. This project began nearly 10 years ago now with the full upgrade of our wastewater treatment plant, and is a game changer for our City moving forward.

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The reuse scheme will mean we are able to keep our fields safe for sporting field even during drought, with a treated effluent product of an incredibly high standard, quite close to potable water. It is important that we continually look to sustainability projects, and we are very proud of the Goulburn Reuse Scheme.

Construction of the reticulated water pipeline network was completed earlier this year. This network links Goulburn's wastewater treatment plant with North Park, Carr Confoy, Hudson Park, Goulburn Recreation Area, Victoria Park, Goulburn Golf Club and the Goulburn District Racetrack.

Irrigation construction at Hudson Oval, and North Park are complete with continual monitoring of restoration for the coming months. Irrigation projects at Carr Confoy and Victoria Park have commenced and are well underway, however have been affected by the wet weather which has made it difficult to use machinery in these areas.

The $10.8 million project is an innovative local government project, which will achieve excellent environmental outcomes. $4.4 million was received through the Federal Government Building Better Regions Fund for the project, with Council contributing a further $6.4 million from the sewer fund.

Works will commence on irrigation installation at the Goulburn Recreation Area in June, while Council staff are redesigning the tender for the final upgrade at the wastewater treatment plant to ensure it remains within budget.

Wet winter

This week staff in conjunction with the Southern Tablelands Football Association made the call to close Cookbundoon Sporting Fields for the weekend, as they are incredibly waterlogged.

Council staff do not take these decisions lightly, as our number one priority is to keep sport playing, however after the incredibly wet year we have had it can become dangerous and also cause enormous damage to playing fields which puts the rest of the competition in jeopardy.

I ask the community to please be patient and understanding when these decisions are made. After this week's cold snap it seems winter has settled in, and will likely be damp and cold which will mean wet surfaces quite often.

As I write this at 8am on Friday other sporting fields do remain open for this weekend's sporting activities, as they have held up a little better during recent rain. Have a great weekend all.

GPAC highly commended at excellence awards

Goulburn Performing Arts Centre received highly commended at last week's Local Government Excellence Awards, in the Asset & Infrastructure category for projects over $1.5 million.

Officially opening at the end of March 2022, GPAC was the culmination of over six years work by Goulburn Mulwaree Council from concept, to detailed design and then delivery. The award is recognition of the excellent work of former and current Councillors, staff and contractors.

GPAC has been a community changing project for our region, enlivening the CBD and being extremely well received by locals and visitors to Goulburn over the first two months of operation.

We have also had a number of sell out shows already during April and May, with an excellent calendar locked in for the remainder of 2022. This award is a credit to all involved, from Council staff to Brewster Hjorth Architects and Zauner Constructions.

Goulburn Performing Arts Centre is also being nominated for an award through Local Government NSW, and will be nominated for architecture awards in the coming months so keep an eye out for results.

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