By JESSE GRAHAM
FOR the Yarra Valley, this year’s council budget is all about big ticket infrastructure, repairs and renewals, with millions of dollars in capital works money coming into the area.
Mayor Maria McCarthy dubbed the 2015-’16 Yarra Ranges Council budget as “pro-active and realistic”, balancing the need to save funds with $39.2 million being added to the capital works program.
The program features two new sporting pavilions, with $800,000 for Healesville’s Don Road Sporting Pavilion’s construction and $100,000 for the design of the Upwey-Tecoma Community Recreational and Sporting Hub (UTCRASH).
Upper Yarra residents will have footpath works scattered around, with one of the most expensive jobs being $300,000 for works on Beenak Road in Wandin North between Warburton Highway and Quayle Road.
Cavanagh Road in Millgrove will have $170,000 spent on footpath works, while Harberts Road and Old Don Road in Don Valley, from Don Road to the Don Valley Primary School, will have $150,000 in footpath works.
In Yarra Junction, the council will contribute $200,000 to a redevelopment of the Ben’s Shed garage, supplemented by $30,000 in external funding.
In the lower Yarra Valley, two bridges will be replaced and widened, on Sunnyside Road in Gruyere and Walkers Lane in Healesville, with $910,000 and $1,319,000 spent respectively – along with numerous footpath works and township improvements across the valley.
The budget papers also list a feasibility study to be completed in the coming year about establishing a Yarra Valley Trail link, which would run from Lilydale to Warburton via Yarra Glen and Healesville, making a loop with the Warburton to Lilydale Rail Trail.
A spokesperson for the council said the study will be done in the 2015-’16 financial year.
For more information, see mail.starcommunity.com.au.
