A year ago, Wagga felt like it was the political centre of NSW. The resignation of former MP Daryl Maguire had triggered a byelection and the government was fiercely fighting to retain the seat. In the lead-up to that September 8 poll, the government amassed funding commitments in Wagga totalling about $150 million. Here's where those projects stand today:
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Wagga Base Hospital car park
Health Minister Brad Hazzard announced that Wagga Base Hospital would get a $30 million multi-storey car park, with spaces for up to 800 vehicles to park free of charge, an announcement that Labor committed to matching if it later won government.
"The $170 million stage three development of Wagga Base Hospital is to be followed by a new $30 multi-storey car park," Mr Hazzard said while making the announcement.
"People have been telling me about the need for it. I have committed to it."
Stage three of the Wagga Base Hospital redevelopment - the construction of a multi-storey ambulatory care building - is due to be completed by 2021.
Mr Hazzard promised work on the car park would start immediately after this building has been finished, with Murrumbidgee Local Health District chief executive Jill Ludford dubbing it "stage 3A".
Tumut Hospital
The government promised $50 million for a long-awaited redevelopment of the Tumut Hospital, which involves the construction of a new, single-storey facility on the health service campus just south of the existing hospital buildings. The old hospital buildings will be demolished as part of the project.
The new hospital is said to be able to offer services under one roof including:
- Emergency department
- Inpatient unit
- Birthing unit
- Operating theatre and day surgery
- Wellness centre including: community health; community mental health, community drug and alcohol services; outpatient services such as rehabilitation, specialist clinics, wound care; ambulatory services such as renal dialysis, infusion/transfusion services; space for education and group therapy services
- Quiet room for families and a cultural room
- Clinical support services including: medical imaging unit; pharmacy; pathology with on-site laboratory
- Administration and non-clinical support areas
- Dedicated car parking for staff and service vehicles
- New helipad.
A master plan was released in February and construction work is due to begin before the end of 2019.
Conservatorium
After earlier successfully winning the first tranche of funding for the development of a new "world-class" facility, the Riverina Conservatorium of Music was given an additional $20 million for a purpose-built recital hall able to seat 300 people.
Don Harwin, the minister who announced extra money, said the new recital hall would provide musicians and students with a state of the art and acoustically appropriate performance space that would attract audiences of all ages from across regional NSW.
A year later, and the project is on track, albeit at a slower pace than originally hoped.
The first stage is now due for completion late in 2020 or early 2021.
Pomingalarna
Wagga's new $9.2 multi-sport cycling complex at the Pomingalarna Reserve won a $6.92 million state government boost to the $2.3 million tipped in by Wagga City Council.
Since the funding was announced, the concept designs have been completed. Expressions of interest for the design and construction of the project closed just two weeks ago and a tender shortlist is currently being finalised.
Tender documents are expected to be issued later this month.
RiFL at Bomen
The long-waited massive industrial project at Bomen received two major boosts during the byelection campaign, one of which came from the government.
The Riverina Intermodal Freight and Logistics Hub was granted $14.4 million in state government funding, only days after Wagga City Council announced an agreement with private partner, Visy.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the grant, which will pay for a 5.8-kilometre rail siding to service the main terminal at the planned Bomen hub and provide a connection to the main southern line.
Visy committed to build - and later run - a freight terminal.
While council is still waiting to see if it has been successful in obtaining $30 million to build an industrial estate, work on the freight terminal is expected to start during the upcoming summer months.
Traffic congestion
The focus on "fixing two major traffic congestion areas" saw minister Melinda Pavey commit $30 million to improving two bridges.
Ms Pavey said at the time, the project would see the addition of turning lanes at the Gobbagombalin Bridge on the Olympic Highway and widening to four lanes at Marshall's Creek Bridge on the Sturt Highway.
"These are very significant improvements to the network around Wagga, not just in terms of commuters, not just in terms of safety, but also in terms of freight - having the ability to move the products that this region is so famous for producing," she said.
A year on, and the Marshalls Creek Bridge is still in the planning stages with the Roads and Maritime Authority.
The RMS has also been seeking feedback on how to improve the intersection of Old Narrandera Road and the Olympic Highway as it looks at improving the area around the Gobbagombalin Bridge.
Estella school
Technically, this wasn't an election promise, but it was one of a raft of items mentioned in a letter to voters from Ms Berejiklian.
Despite being touted during the election campaign and mentioned in the 2019 Budget, no dollar figure has as yet been allocated to the new public primary school.