Councillor Amelia Parkins believes the decision on the Wagga to Ladysmith rail trail shows a lack of leadership and understanding. Photo: Chris Roe.
Advocates for a rail trail from Wagga to Ladysmith have expressed mixed feelings about Wagga Council’s decision not to commit funds to the project on Monday.
Made from former railway corridors, rail trails are paths for cyclists and bushwalkers.
Cr Amelia Parkins expressed disappointment over the decision.
“I think a claim that the rail trail is too expensive shows a lack of understanding of the process that’s very clearly set out by the State Government,” she said.
“So the State Government’s done the two pilots, one up on the North Coast and one in Snowy Valleys Council, and it very clearly says that the next stages are to establish the steering committee and then prepare a business case and a concept design.
“Once we’ve got those, we’ll be in a position to apply for grant funding to fund the actual rail trail.
“So there has never been a question, as far as I’m concerned, ever that council would fund the $15 to $20 million required to build a rail trail.
“All we need to do is what we do for most major projects where council’s involved, which is to prepare a business case and a concept.
“We did the same for the Convention Centre [and] the Civic Theatre. It’s not something new. ”
The council first affirmed its support for the rail trail 17 years ago, and Cr Parkins believes a firm decision should be made.
“I found that, you know, encouraging that [the council is] willing to support a steering committee [and] disappointing that they’re not willing to commit any funding,” she said. “Council has reaffirmed its commitment to the rail trail as a concept repeatedly since 2008.
“I feel like at some point we need to either take the next step and fund a business case and concept designs, or, I guess, just say no.”
Wagga Rail Trail chair Lisa Glastonbury considered the decision on Monday (26 May) a “clear turning point” that “sets a positive direction going forward”.
“We were asking for the concept to be endorsed, for a steering committee to be established, for a $100,000 budget to be allocated and for the investigation into the extension of Rosewood to Humula, and they voted three of those things,” she said.
“They did not approve the budget, but they actually voted the other three.
“This is a clear turning point, and it sets a positive direction going forward to continue investigating the costs, the benefits and the delivery potential, in partnership with government and a community that’s already shown pretty strong support.”
Cr Parkins, however, thinks the council should have played a bigger role in the rail trail project.
“My concern is that it’s trying to diminish the role that council could play in establishing a rail trail. And if you look at nearly every other rail trail that has come into effect, it’s been driven by a council,” she said.
“I would love to see the steering committee chaired by a councillor, have a couple of councillors on there, as well as interested members of the community.
“And also opportunity for those neighbouring councils that would potentially have part of the rail trail go through them to be a part of that committee as well.”
Original Article published by Erin Hee on Region Riverina.
