The multimillion-dollar Wagga Beach Riverside Precinct and its new facilities officially opened to the public on Tuesday after several years of planning and building.
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Funded by all levels of government, the precinct is now home to a large "regionally significant" playground, a new performance stage and event space, and an upgraded car park.
Hosting Tuesday's official proceedings, Wagga mayor Dallas Tout described the public opening as "a day we've been waiting years for".
"Today is really, really just an exciting time for everyone involved, and particularly for the community to see it finally come to fruition," Cr Tout said.
In part delayed due to contract negotiations, the $9.93 million Riverside Stage 2 project was set to open by the end of 2020, then the start of 2022, before its recent completion.
The work completes the vision of the council's Riverside Strategic Master Plan and builds on the $1 million stage 1 works that were finished in 2014-15.
Cr Tout gave a special commendation to the council staff involved in working on the operational side of the precinct design and construction.
"None of us will ever really know how much work has gone into this in the background, other than those actual staff," he said.
Alongside new facilities, Cr Tout teased a food truck would also be regularly stationed at the precinct but stopped shy of specifics on what will be on offer.
"Coffee and a lot of really nice food, so it's going to be a perfect setup for parents and kids," he said.
A food truck-style hospitality offering is particularly convenient for an area so close to the Murrumbidgee River and therefore at risk of flooding.
"It's just ensuring that whatever goes in has that capability to be unplugged, taken out, removed, wait for the water to go back down again, hose everything out, and put it back again," Cr Tout said.
Wagga local Will Holcombe took full advantage of the new playground today by bringing along visiting brother Alex and young nephew Theodore.
"We said when we came walking down, 'about time they changed this place'," he said.
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Despite delays, Cr Tout said the project came in under budget, one which grew with the contribution of three government levels.
The state government contributed $5 million through Restart NSW, $3.08 million came from the federal government's Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Fund and Wagga City Council chipped in $1.85 million.
Also present at Tuesday's opening were Riverina MP Michael McCormack, Nationals MLC Wes Fang, deputy mayor Jenny McKinnon, councillors Dan Hayes and Tim Koschel, and Wiradjuri elders Aunty Mary Atkinson and Aunty Cheryl Penrith.
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