Call for civic improvement works in Mullumbimby

Hans Lovejoy

Mullumbimby’s Chamber of Commerce is just one community association that is calling on Council to allocate $200,000 to projects for the town in the 2019–2020 budget.

The request comes as urban architect David Brown says there are ‘No civic improvements anticipated in the draft 2019–2020 Operational Plan’. 

Brown has authored a submission for the Operational Plan, on behalf of the Mullumbimby Chamber of Commerce, Creative Byron, the Brunswick Valley Historical Society, and individual community members.

The four-page submission outlines the history which has led to the groups being ‘seriously disillusioned about the Masterplan process, the possible outcomes, and whether it will clearly engage with broader state and Council residential and employment strategies’. 

The Echo understands the groups want to roll out the projects themselves, independently of Council staff management. The projects are an introductory community event ($10,000), place-making activation ($20,000), Stuart Street tree and artscape ($50,000), Mullumbimby story trail ($20,000), and Dalley Street civic and ceremonial precinct ($20,000). 

Funding source

Brown suggests that funding could be sourced from the ‘anticipated $18.5 million Sustainable Environment and Economy and Corporate and Community Services operating expenditure budgets and some should be from existing s94 funds’. 

Brown says, ‘It has taken far too long to reach a point where the only specific mention of the Mullumbimby Masterplan is at Items 4.1.1.2 of the Operational Plan. No mention is made of follow-up activities’. 

‘This submission on the Draft Operational Plan aims to break a cycle of delay by recommending the immediate commencement of four priority projects’.

Council staff told The Echo, ‘There are reserves in the order of $300,000 for Mullumbimby urban road and civic urban improvements, that can be added to the budget in a quarterly review once specific projects for Mullumbimby are identified in the Plan and endorsed by Council by resolution’.

‘All feedback from the budget process was taken into account and is detailed in the report going to Council this Thursday June 27’.