WITH the budget blowing out and more funding not forthcoming, it looks as though the Littleton Gardens redevelopment has hit a brick wall.
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At last week’s Bega Valley Shire Council meeting, group manager of transport and utilities Wayne Sartori confirmed there was no money left for the remaining stages.
In response to a question from Cr Kristy McBain, Mr Sartori said there was no funding left and that the council had made approaches for additional grants, but had been rejected.
Stages 1A and 1B - which involved extending the green space, water fountain, feature paving and the public toilet - were completed and officially opened in December 2013.
Further stages were to involve redesigning the existing car parks, additional landscaping work and tree planting, the upgrading of Zingel Place, as well as the potential for interactive play areas and public art.
It now appears that at least three stages of development will be set aside due to a lack of funding, as the focus shifts to the realignment of Zingel Place and Civic Centre landscaping.
In a letter from Bega Valley Shire Council general manager Leanne Barnes to the Bega Valley Shire Residents and Ratepayers Association, the cost of the work completed so far indicates an increase of $370,000 from the estimates of the master plan approved in April 2012.
In the letter, dated November 14 last year, Ms Barnes states the cost estimate of the initial stage A and part of stage B as $1.05million, more than half the total budget amount of $2million allocated to complete the entire master plan.
However, she goes on to say $1.36million has already been spent.
In 2012, the master plan budget for stages 1A and 1B was estimated at $680,000, including a public toilet.
Councillor Tony Allen said “additional drainage work and other work” had been completed that was unexpected and unforseen, such as “storm water and power works.”
With $1.36million already spent, and further funding “yet to be identified”, people may be wondering how much of the master plan exhibited to the public will now be completed.
Littleton Gardens project manager Andrew Stewart said this week that what has been achieved so far “is great value for money”.
“The paving is a success - the water feature is a great success.
“It’s a pity there is not more funding right now, but as it becomes available we hope to keep nibbling away.”
Meanwhile, although a motion was passed unanimously by council in late 2012 that “a public toilet facility be designed up to the budget of $250,000, in accord with the themes proposed in the Littleton Square master plan,” Ms Barnes said the construction of the public toilet block and further development of the car parking area would require Public Reserves Management Fund Program (PRMFP) funding, which has been unsuccessful due to “over response from across the state”.
“We’ve been under the impression funding would be available, but it hasn’t been,” Ms Barnes said.