From the Mayor’s Desk: planning for our community’s future

WITH the new year well underway, I’ve been out and about seeing our parks, pathways, and sports fields at their busiest.

This peak summer period shows us exactly why we need to plan ahead.

As more people live in and visit our area, our local facilities and town centres need to keep up and be fit for the future.

In Medowie, the feedback from residents at recent community pop-ups is helping us get the Medowie Town Centre Masterplan right.

It is currently on public exhibition and I encourage you to take a look and give feedback.

This is our guide for a better town centre that is safer and easier for everyone to get around – whether you are

walking, cycling, or driving.

While our Place Plan is the big-picture and wishlist for how Medowie should feel, this Masterplan is the practical guide for the streets, paths, and buildings we need to make that vision a reality.

Just like our town centres, our sporting hubs need to be well planned to keep up with future demand.

The Tomaree Sports Complex is one of our largest community facilities, supporting over 3,000 local players across many different sports.

We are now moving to the next stage of its development to ensure it remains a premier regional sports complex for our region.

Our revised plan focuses on practical fixes like better traffic flow, more parking and improved facilities.

These upgrades ensure our local players have the best possible fields and help us attract state and national events. These events bring visitors who spend money at our local shops and accommodation, providing a vital boost to our

economy and local jobs.

These projects are all about having the vision and planning for the future to ensure Port Stephens remains a great place to live.

Both plans are open for feedback.

I invite you to share your thoughts by heading to our website and looking for the Public Exhibitions  page.

By Port Stephens Mayor Leah ANDERSON