Continuing heavy frosts, but, unfortunately, little substantive rain. The heavy frosts have resulted in burst pipes and untold damage to homes and public buildings. It has made me more aware of knowing where my water pipes run (ceiling, floor or externally), where to turn off the mains and hot water systems, and possible strategies to give sufficient protection to avoid splitting.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Good news this week is the boost to our new footpaths plans. At present $1.4 million was budgeted over four years, but government has just granted us $320,000. This will bring forward a number of projects this year, particularly new footpaths around aged-care facilities and schools
On Saturday the Regional Tourism Awards will be hosted at the Orange Ex-Services’ Club. Orange has four nominations: FOOD week, the Visitors Information Centre, Orange Ex-Services Club, and Heifer Station Wines. Congratulations to our nominees.
In November Orange will host the NSW Tidy Towns Awards, the NSW/ACT Regional Achievement and Community Awards, and the Ushiku Japanese Speaking Competition. If you look at Orange’s calendar there is basically not a week or weekend when there is not a major sporting or cultural event, convention or business conference taking place. This injects an enormous economical benefit to Orange .
Due to the ever-increasing amount of Development Applications (DA) Orange City Council will hold an extraordinary meeting in early August just on development applications.
The near future will see work commence on the Bloomfield private hospital and the home for the NSW Department of Primary Industries. These two projects alone will see over 400 construction jobs in Orange, and a substantial injection into the local economy.
With work well under way on the Quest apartments in Kite Street, the boutique motel in Byng Street, and the development of the old Carrington Hotel, there is no shortage of development in Orange.
I believe there will be forums and workshops in the near future, held in conjunction with the Orange Business Chamber and council, to discuss the CBD upgrade, retail and future shopping needs and trends.
This will be an excellent opportunity for all to express their ideas and views, but in the meantime if anyone has any ideas let council, the business chamber or the Economic Development Community Advisory group know.
This weekend will see National Tree Day, an initiative of Planet Ark. Orange this year will be planting in the Bloomfield bushland area. Driving around Orange I get much delight at seeing the result of some of those days – like the native corridor on Burrendong Way near the Robin Hood Hotel – and I’m reminded that Orange has more green space per 1000 residents than most cities and towns in Australia, including Canberra. Many hands make light work, so I encourage all to give some time on Sunday to this important community event.
This weekend will see inaugural Orange Winter Fire Festival, a new activity on our calendar. Millthorpe will be buzzing on Friday night, and there are a range of activities over the weekend.
Finally, I have a donation of two yellow box trees (which need to be cut up and split) for the flagged community firewood donation scheme. They will make approximately 30 tonnes of wood. Organisers can contact me.
