TWO highly-anticipated community projects were opened by Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW Adam Marshall in Balranald last Thursday.
Mr Marshall met with councillors, shire staff and locals for the opening of the upgraded Balranald truck wash and the revitalised Janelle Masters Memorial Pool.
The newly-upgraded truck wash now contains a sealed loop-road, a ride-over apron, an AvData, double wash station and LED lighting tower.
Local transport business owner Jim Smithers met with the minister at the truck wash and voiced his approval.
“This has delivered exactly what we truckies need, greater access and better facilities to wash down,” Mr Smithers said.
“This upgrade will double the utilisation.”
The local transport business owner suggested toilet and shower facilities at the truck wash would be the next step for the project.
“We (truck drivers) get wet and filthy whilst cleaning out the crates and it can be quite miserable in the winter,” Mr Smithers said.
“We need to get clean before getting back into our trucks. Showers are the norm at other truck washes in the district.”
Mr Marshall said he was impressed with the outcome of the upgraded projects and said showers could be funded under the next round of the stronger country communities fund early next year.
Mr Marshall also visited the Janelle Masters Memorial Pool where he met with Balranald Swim Club treasurer Louise Bruton.
The pool revitalisation project has delivered a refurbished kiosk and change rooms, a new disabled toilet/shower, barbecues and three new shade structures.
Mrs Bruton, formerly a talented junior swimmer coached by the late Janelle Masters, was very pleased by how the facilities had been revitalised.
“It’s really looking great, this is exactly what we wanted,” Ms Bruton said.
Mrs Bruton highlighted to the minister that the community was taking a staged approach to the facility with a masterplan of further improvements in mind.
“We are keen to look at upgrades to pool lighting and even a gymnasium down the road,” she said.
Balranald Shire mayor Alan Purtill said the pool revitalisation was very timely in the lead up to the region’s warm months.
“The completion of this project complements council’s recent decision to offer the pool as a free facility for our locals and visitors, which will be particularly important during our scorching summers,” Cr Purtill said.
“This is a key facility for our community’s wellbeing, especially in a time of drought.”
