Community feedback received from the 2024/25 CBD Masterplan Survey highlighted the current location of the amenities was inadequate in view of accessibility, comfort, safety, and poor line of sight to supervise children using the amenities. The current location of the toilet block also had inadequate floor levels that did not withstand even minor flooding.
It is important to Bellingen Shire Council that the new amenities are functional and safe for everyone to use, meaning a new location for the amenities was required.
Multiple options to pick a suitable location were considered. Thought was given to accessibility, safety, ground levels, underground infrastructure (sewer/water/electricity) and visual impacts. In addition to these factors, much of what the community considers the ‘Reserve’ is private property or not adequately elevated, leaving a small area that remained appropriate for the new amenities to be built.
To offset the loss of some of the shaded space taken by the new amenities, Council will be planting new trees to provide the community with additional areas of shaded space.