Budget delivers win for suburbs

By Cr Kim Flesser

The June 2002 Brisbane City Council budget is starting to deliver outcomes for Northgate Ward from the Living in Brisbane 2010 Plan.
Record amounts will be spent on basic infrastructure such as roads and parks.  Exciting additional facilities will come in the way of a new off-leash dog area, another 'doggy world' facility, a fishing/boating pontoon, a new skate bowl and funding to complete the Nundah Suburban Centre Improvement Project (SCIP) and the Nudgee Waterholes redevelopment.
With the completion of the Inner City Bypass and the Northside S1 Sewer projects, the 2002/2003 budget was able to give higher priorities to basic services in the suburbs.

Big winner

Northgate Ward was one of the big winners with $1.9m for road resurfacing, $560,000 for drainage works, a further $1.6m towards the Nundah SCIP, $400,000 for a Mid North District Local Plan, $80,000 for safety improvements around the Virginia State School and $330,000 for footpaths, kerbs and channeling.

Doggy world

An off leash dog obstacle and

obedience course similar to that at Nudgee Beach (Doggy World), will be added to the existing Murray Duus Park area at Wavell Heights.  A new off-leash area will also be developed at Mercer Park Kedron, at a cost of $30,000.

Park improvements

Local park improvements include an electric barbeque at Studley Park, Wavell Heights, a new minor skate bowl at Plaisted Place Northgate, another picnic shelter at Nudgee Beach and refurbishment of ARC Hill Park at Virginia.
Anglers and boaties will benefit with the construction of a $150,000 pontoon in Kedron Brook, adjacent to the Nudgee Beach boat ramp.

District plan

The new Mid North District Local Plan will be created in partnership with local communities to provide certainty about the future character of the suburbs of Kedron, Wavell Heights, Virginia, Banyo and Nudgee.  The plan will be developed over the next 3 years to enable the 'big picture' strategic issues to be addressed, including those of land use, transport, waterways and ecological corridors. For further details about the budget, please contact me at the Ward Office on 34032210.

Memorial park reborn

Nundah's Memorial Park has been given a new lease of life after being handed back to the Council after the Sandgate Rd tunnel construction.
The Nundah-Northgate RSL Sub Branch have been very active in restoring the captured German field gun from World War 1.

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Council's popular Kerb Side Cleanup has been extended to provide a once yearly service.  Banyo resident Reg Neil, said that the footpath cleanup is a great recycling idea.