Proposed funding for Wagga’s cycling network has been widely panned as a “waste of money” but some are warning it’s the only chance the city will ever have to upgrade its bike paths.
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It comes after the NSW government offered Wagga City Council more than $11 million to develop and implement an Active Travel Plan.
Council will consider an initial grant of $400,000 with provision for a further $11,352,600 at next week’s ordinary council meeting, however, many residents have responded angrily to the funding.
Boating enthusiast and Wagga tradesman Brenton Mohr was incensed by the amount granted exclusively to upgrade bike paths.
“$11 million is a waste of money just for that,” he said.
Why on earth would you be focusing on bike paths when there’s so much else wrong with Wagga?
- Wagga resident Brenton Mohr
Mr Mohr pointed to Lake Albert’s current inaccesibility and poor roads across the city as being “of greater importance”.
“I’ve got a boat that I can’t even use in my own city and have to take to Blowering Dam,” he said.
“Then the road around it is so bumpy - I’ve just spent $500 to fix damages from driving around there.
“In my opinion, council should really be focused on other things.”
Wagga City councillor Tim Koschel conceded there were areas in Wagga that required improvement but said rejecting the grant would hurt in the long term.
“It’s all well and good to say there’s other things wrong but the only alternative is to say no to this funding and watch the money go out of Wagga,” he said.
The development of a cohesive bicycle network will be good for families, fitness and fun.
- Cr Tim Koschel
“We’re not taking ratepayer money - this is a state government grant for this specific project and if we don’t use it, another city in NSW will end up with this funding.”
In a growing population plagued with high levels of obesity and chronic heart disease, increased cycling facilities and paths could offer Wagga commuters an additional form of exercise and a sustainable mode of transport.
“The development of a cohesive bicycle network will be good for families, fitness and fun,” Cr Koschel said.
“It’s a great opportunity for the city, even if you’re not a cyclist, and we’ll be saving money in the long term,” he said.
If the funding is accepted, construction on the city-wide bicycle network is expected to commence before January 1, 2019.
