Colo Heights Community Project

Council is pleased to provide the following updates on the Colo Heights Community Projects:

• Flooring has been laid in the Hall kitchen
• The kitchen is being installed this week
• The blocks for the tennis court shelter walls are being laid

The Mayor of Hawkesbury, Councillor Patrick Conolly has welcomed the State Government’s new funding announcement of $1.6 million in Local Economic Recovery Funding for the Hawkesbury to further support community projects for Bilpin, Colo Heights and the Macdonald Valley (including St Albans) as part of their ongoing bushfire recovery.

“Hawkesbury City Council submitted community projects for each bushfire affected area as part of the funding application for the Local Economic Recovery Program,” Mayor Conolly said.

“This funding announcement is great news as it will be a huge boost for our community and take us much further on the journey towards bushfire recovery with projects that really matter to our community members.”

Bilpin, Colo Heights and the Macdonald Valley were significantly impacted by bushfires in late 2019 and early 2020. While much of the physical cleanup has now been undertaken, the recovery work has been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

To better understand the needs of the residents of these areas, Council conducted online engagement programs in the areas between 2 May and 21 May. As a result, Council has been able to identify many actions that community members believe would help them to rebuild and reconnect.

Council has used these community ideas to confirm the scope of community projects for each of the three areas of Bilpin, Colo Heights and the Macdonald Valley, including their cost, alignment with project criteria, strategic alignment with the Hawkesbury Community Strategic Plan.

Bilpin community projects

Community Space Aspects

• Multi-age playground and recreation facilities

• Outdoor space for communal gatherings

• Community generated public art feature/s

• Oval improvements.

Bushfire Aspects

• Water storage

• Hall fire resistance upgrade

• Renewable energy and storage

• Bushfire damaged signage replacement.

Colo Heights community projects

Community Space Aspects

• Multi age playground and recreation facilities

• Upgrade of community space for communal gatherings

• Community generated public art feature/s

• Oval improvements.

Bushfire Aspects:

• Water storage

• Improvements to supply and reliably of water supply during bushfires

• Fire resistance upgrade

• Renewable energy and storage

• Bushfire damaged signage replacement.

The Macdonald Valley (including St Albans) community projects

Community Space Aspects:

• Upgrade of community space/village marketplace for communal gatherings

• Community generated public art feature/s

• Improvements to St Albans School of Arts including access and removal of redundant structure.

Bushfire Aspects:

• Improvements to supply and reliably of water supply during bushfires

• Bushfire damaged signage replacement.

“Council looks forward to commencing work on these projects for our community thanks to this additional funding support from the NSW Government,” Mayor Conolly concluded.

The upgrade of the Colo Heights Community Precinct has been identified by the community and Council as a priority site where works are required. The site is used widely by the local community, school and the Rural Fire Service.

In 2018 Council spoke to the Hall Committee and the Progress Association about the priority projects they would like to see at the site in the future.

It is now important for Council to confirm that the works identified as priority projects are what you would like to see in your community, particularly in light of the recent bushfires and floods that impacted so significantly on Colo Heights and the surrounding areas.

The original budget for the works was $138 000 with some additional funds available in the 2020/2021 budget and also as part of bushfire recovery.

Council will focus on delivering as many priority projects within the budget that we can so it is important for you to identify what your top priorities are. The priority projects are for a:

1. Tennis shelter
2. Shade awning
3. Oval improvements and water supply

We want to hear from the Colo Heights Community, please fill out the Community Survey below so we know what your priority projects are.

We are also doing some general maintenance and upgrading works at the Colo Heights Hall. We will be installing an outdoor craft sink, new guttering connected to the rainwater tanks and LED lights and some other general repairs once we start work at the site.

Survey closes Tuesday, 12 May 2020.