A LAVINGTON car park has been chosen ahead of a site in Thurgoona and two in the Albury CBD for a $150,000 trial to create a new community space.
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The money will be provided to Albury Council from the NSW government and is part of a program entitled Places to Love, which aims to bolster areas near transport hubs.
The council considered the Nasho Gardens at the eastern end of Dean Street, the David Street car park behind Regent Cinemas and Thurgoona's Diamond Drive before deciding the Lavington option best met the criteria.
It has selected the Griffith Road car park, which lies opposite the southern entrance to Lavington Square's parking lot, as best suited to the project
Its proximity to the Griffith Road bus stop, the low to medium existing demand for parking at the site and pedestrian links to Wagga Road had it deemed most fitting.
Under the six-month trial, 32 of 61 car parks will be turned into a piazza that will have seating, planter boxes, bicycle parks, pavement artwork and new lighting.
"The project will aim to create a community space that can be used for events such as markets, live music and by pop-up retailers," a report to be presented to the council meeting on Monday April 22 stated.
The council at Monday's meeting will vote on endorsing a consultation plan for the project.
The trial is expected occur over spring-summer 2024 with stakeholders to comment to council on its effectiveness in early 2025.
Meanwhile, the fate of Lavington's 1967 swim centre will also be discussed at the meeting.
Creo Consultants, a Melbourne firm specialising in engineering analysis, provided an audit report to the council in February.
It recommended that only two more summer swimming seasons, 2024-25 and 2025-26, be run at the complex because of its deteriorating condition.
The council will be asked to endorse a scope and stakeholder engagement plan for the Lavington Swim Centre at Monday's meeting.
In the agenda, council's team leader leisure facilities Aaron Humphries warns that if the Moore Street centre only opens for two more seasons it may shut before design works for its replacement are done.
"This could result in Albury City only having one swim centre to cater for the community for longer than the period required to construct the new facility at Lavington," Mr Humphries observed.
Albury Council has allocated $14.45 million to the replacement of the pool, while at the same time left the option of a regional aquatics centre at Lauren Jackson stadium open.
"It is important that community expectations for the new facility are managed and the concepts for the Lavington Swim Centre remain at the community facility level, rather than trying to incorporate elements of the regional aquatic facility," Mr Humphries warned.
"Any movement away from this could result in significant cost blow outs and the risk that the regional aquatic facility at Lauren Jackson Sports Centre becomes unviable."
