The Dubbo Hospital redevelopment, the River Street Bridge and the PCYC complex will be the biggest winners out of Tuesday’s 2018-19 state budget, Dubbo MP Troy Grant said.
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But they won’t be the only recipients, with “buckets” of money also set to pour into smaller projects through the Regional Growth Fund.
“The Dubbo budget has been strong and it’s getting stronger every year because we’re growing so we need more money,” Mr Grant said.
“A lot of our stuff is being done, it’s just a matter of progress so, for example, the hospital, stages three and four, it will get a big chunk of money because most of the building will be done in this financial year.
“There’ll be money for the bridge, there will be roads funding as there always pretty much is.”
A new PCYC has already been announced, in partnership with Dubbo Regional Council (DRC), the NSW Office of Sport and Charles Sturt University.
With the allocation of $4 million, the facility will include six to eight indoor sports courts, a dedicated and competition-sized gymnastics facility and multipurpose activity spaces for young people, the community and university students.
Mr Grant foreshadowed further developments, saying “it’s part of a bigger news story that we haven’t announced yet”.
“What’s going to go up there is just going to phenomenal … I think it changes this city,” he said. “The hospital is exciting … it's a necessity [but] this is … going to be the jewel in the crown of Dubbo and the PCYC is just one component of it.”
DRC Mayor Ben Shields said “it’s nice to have new things”, but urged the state government not to lose sight of the “bread and butter infrastructure” like roads.
“We definitely need this ring road funded,” Councillor Shields said.
“They are making a mistake with the bridge without funding the ring road … they are doing this at their peril.
“The people of Dubbo are going to be very, very annoyed once this River Street Bridge is open and there’s been no serious reduction of traffic congestion in the Whylandra Street area.”
He dismissed suggestions that a ring road would pull visitors, and cash, away from local businesses.
“Once upon a time, ring roads used to do that. But if you plan a ring road properly … things like truck stops open, you see motels, you see transport companies open nearby and those ring roads are designed for those facilities,” Cr Shields said.
“If you design it properly, it can actually be an economic boon.”
