Dubbo mayor Mathew Dickerson believes the proposed Macquarie River boardwalk will help grow the CBD moving forward.
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The proposed project has begun its next step after a development application was submitted to Dubbo Regional Council with the plans to have an entertainment facility down by the river.
Cr Dickerson is confident the residents of Dubbo will be able to make the most of the site once it is approved.
"It's pretty exciting around that whole area there in terms of opening up the river, opening up some entertainment around that area," he said.
"One of the things people have said to me in years gone by is that we have this beautiful river through the middle of our city but we don't take advantage of it enough.
"The CBD has its back turned to the river and that's one logically because when they built it many years ago they were trying to keep it out of the floodwaters.
"So we realised that potential, again just imagine having events down there.
"I'm not talking Billy Joel-type events but including concerts, I think you could see a range of wonderful things."
With the application currently being reviewed by the council's planning department, Cr Dickerson admitted it may take some time before a final decision is made on when the project goes ahead.
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"It does vary, even though people say 'it's council surely you can approve your own DA' but there is a separation between the planning department and other places here," he said.
"Everyone has to go through the same process as an external contractor or development would.
"Then it comes down to a submission of that development and review of the process, it can easily take a couple of months."
After water rose up to Ollie Robins Oval on Monday, Cr Dickerson said there would not be any plans to raise the building to avoid flooding should it occur.
"It's all designed to go underwater, a good example is the toilets down there because they are also designed to go underwater," he said.
"Each time there is a flood or flood-event then that toilet block is built to go underwater, when the water recedes we go in there and there are usually a few snakes so there a very careful when they go in. hose it and away we go.
"This is exactly how this has been designed."
With the current No.1 Church Street project being developed, Cr Dickerson believes it is quite an exciting time for the people of Dubbo as well as some of their local businesses.
"I'm really hopeful all of these things will activate the CBD, you've got No.1 Church Street so if you put some of those people who live there into the cafes down the main street," he said.
"Then the cafes might think 'well there is a bit of nighttime trade now maybe instead of finishing earlier in the day we might shut for a few hours and then have our night staff come in to open as a restaurant."
The project is aiming to be completed by mid-2023.
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