Council to consider an independent review of the Adventure Park
Published on 09 August 2023
Commissioning an independent review on the viability of delivering the Macleay Valley Recreation Adventure Park at a reduced scope is one of the items on the agenda at next week’s August Council Meeting.
The project received $11.28 million funding from the Australian and NSW Government’s Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund in 2020. The Northern Region Planning Panel approved the Adventure Park’s Development Application on 24 July 2023, but Council learnt on 27 July that the request submitted in December last year for extra funding to cover increased costs for the project was unsuccessful.
Council will consider a recommendation to accept the Department of Regional NSW (DRNSW) offer to propose a reduced scope for the facility, using the existing approved funding. DRNSW would then conduct an independent review to determine if the reduced project remains viable within the remaining timeframes and budget.
Speaking about the recommendation that is before Council, Mayor Leo Hauville, said the independent review of the Adventure Park project may give clarity on how the project may be able to proceed or accept the termination of the funding agreement and cancel the project.
“The NSW Government has allowed Council the opportunity to propose a scaled-down version of the project that fits within the initial funding of $11.28 million,” said Mayor Hauville.
“A smaller facility would still include a hanger with training rooms, the taxiway and apron for skydiving airplanes, the specially designed swoop pond and the necessary pathways, carpark and utilities that may allow for future expansion,” said Mayor Hauville.
The rock-climbing wall, café or accommodation services would not be constructed as part of a scaled down facility, but the project would still support jobs growth and the objectives of the local and regional tourism strategies to increase adventure tourism.
“The Councillors will take this significant business development into consideration when discussing the Department of Regional NSW’s independent review of the projects future,” said Mayor Hauville.
For more details on the report being put to Council, please refer to the August business papers at ksc.pub/council-meeting