Orange will get a small glimpse of its future on Friday when Byng Street is closed to help facilitate the running of the Orange Wine Festival's marque event.
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Thousands of people are expected to flood the Robertson Park and Civic Square precinct for Friday's night market and council says shutting down the 200-metre stretch of Byng Street between Lords Place and Peisley Street will help better connect the two areas of the market, which this year will have over 50 stalls.
It's the first time Byng Street has been closed during a night market and Orange mayor Reg Kidd said it's likely to be the first of many.
"Making better connections between Robertson Park and our Civic Square precinct is one of the ideas that's being floated by our Future City urban design team," Cr Reg Kidd said.
For special events like this, I'm looking forward to seeing how this space can be used by the community.
- Orange mayor Reg Kidd
"Ways to conveniently close the street for special events will be looked at in more detail in due course, but in the meantime, it's a great opportunity to see how it can work on Friday night."
Cr Kidd said both open spaces were tremendous assets for the city and there was no other way of connecting the two outside of temporarily closing the "busy street between them".
"For special events like this, I'm looking forward to seeing how this space can be used by the community," he added.
To allow the markets to be set up on Friday, Byng Street will be closed to traffic between Lords Place and Peisley Street from 11am on Friday morning, through to 11pm on Friday night.
MAP: The section of Byng Street closed for the night markets on Friday
North-bound traffic alongside the park in in McNamarra Street will be able to exit right into Byng Street towards Peisley Street.
The night markets will start earlier than usual at 5pm on Friday afternoon.
Orange City Council's employment and economic development committee chair Tony Mileto is confident local residents will respond well to the temporary interruption.
"It's a suggestion that's worth trialling for special events, and I'm sure locals will be patient with any inconvenience," Cr Mileto said.
"There are many other alternative routes around that block so I'm sure people will think ahead and find other ways to their destination.
"I'm sure locals will enjoy joining the fun of a night market in the setting of what's usually a busy street."
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