THE CENTURY old Paradise Pump Station is about to be torn down and turned into a real paradise.
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Tamworth Regional Council has started work on its plan to transform the old asbestos building into a new park area to be shared by visitors to the heritage-listed King George Avenue walk.
For the last 18 months, the council has considered a number of options for the space near the Peel River before it landed on a park, TRC water and waste manager Dan Coe said.
"The first stage of the project is to remove the trees and realign the power lines, there are some peppercorn trees on the side that are structurally unsafe and need to be removed," he said.
"This area is already well-used, we can see that by the number of people who have walked King George Avenue during the COVID-19 lockdown period.
"So we're hoping to provide a better facility and space people can come down and use."
The budget is just under $500,000, which at this stage covers the build of a pergola, park bench and landscaping. A second stage might include a barbecue and more seating options.
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The pump station was built around 1915 and was one of the first water supplies for Tamworth, Mr Coe said, and any old machinery could end up in the Powerstation Museum.
"The design also went through the council and the King George Avenue working group, so there has been consultation around the design."
It's hoped the project will be finished by December.