Dumaresq Dam is up for a $3 million redevelopment.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Armidale Regional Council will apply for $1.5 million from the federal government, with a co-contribution of the same amount.
But, it’s still unclear where the co-contribution will come from.
Economic development officer Greg Lawrence said the upgrade would not be a silver bullet for tourism, but it’s part of the plan.
“It’s a significant piece of infrastructure, when you travel around this country – where there’s water, there’s people,” he said.
“It is part of the overall push to grow Armidale, to grow our brand.”
The proposed upgrade includes holiday cabins and a solar powered jetty cafe.
A viewing platform for bird watching, hiking trails and a mountain bike track are part of the plan, with camping facilities to be restored.
Former administrator Ian Tiley approved $340,000 to the recreational area in December last year.
Council had put aside $880,000 to upgrade Kempsey Road.
After the state government fully-funded the project, that money now sits unexpended.
Cr Ian Tiley believes that money should be put toward the co-contribution.
“Here’s a sum of money we need to access to fund that $1.5 million,” he said.
The Dumaresq Dam project was unsuccessful in receiving Regional Growth, Environment and Tourism funding from the state government this year.
Council is hopeful it will be reconsidered in the second round of funding next year to offset the co-contribution.
CEO Peter Dennis said he was very supportive of the project but wasn’t sure whether the leftover Stronger Communities Funds would be put toward it.
“We’re not sure yet whether we’ve got that funding,” Mr Dennis said.
“I think there’s a process we need to go through to really reflect on what is the best value for the community before we decide.”
If approved, Council plans to deliver the Dumaresq Dam upgrade by June 2020.
A further $3 million has been set aside for the dam wall safety program. The Dumaresq Dam wall was identified as one of the most needed upgrades in NSW.