COUNCIL has more than $50,000 to spend on improving the Oxley Lookout and the people will get a big say on the iconic site’s future.
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There’s three council-proposed options on the table for residents to consider over the coming weeks, but people are welcome to put up their own ideas.
“One is an exercise station, there will about eight exercises that people could do and we're conscious of the fact people like to come up here and get fit,” council’s acting manager of horticulture and recreation Murray Russell said.
“The other would be to put a nice picnic area in here.
“The third option is to formalise the jacaranda garden we've got up here and make that more attractive for visitors.”
Mr Russell said there was about $50,000 in the budget for the lookout upgrade with the possibility of splashing a bit more.
Council has spent $200,000 on a number of works improving facilities at the popular vantage point over the last six years.
There has been no shortage of ideas on how to Tamworth could get the most bang for its buck at the lookout with Councillor Juanita Wilson last year suggesting it would be an ideal location for a restaurant.
Mr Russell ruled out a lookout restaurant for the near future.
“That would be a much more significant proposal than what the budget would allow and it would potentially involve some sort of commercial partnership,” he said.
“Obviously, that could be considered by council at some point in time but that is not the consideration at the moment.”
Mr Russell said there weren’t plans to increase parking or improve access to the site as part of this improvement.
“Once the improvements are in, we think that those improvements will work with the environment that is here now,” he said. “But, obviously, if the activity starts to increase than council would look at a further stage.”
Council’s online survey initially sought feedback only for the three options put forward by the horticulture department, but residents can now put forward their desired improvements.
An online survey open until April 3, while council staff will be at the lookout getting feedback on Sunday, March 26, from 8am to 10am and Thursday, March 30 from 4pm to 6pm.
The survey is available at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/oxleylookout