While Orange life is being dominated by the coronavirus pandemic, workers have been quietly building the source of much controversy in the city for the past 20 years.
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The Robertson Park toilet block is well underway.
While efforts to have it completed in time for Anzac Day will come to nothing as there won't be an Anzac Day service this year it is one of a number of council projects occurring as workers deal with social distancing laws.
Works include the next stage of the Southern Feeder road and the railway overpass bridge, roundabouts at the corners of the Northern Distributor Road and Hill Street and McLachlan and March streets, re-painting the Robertson Park fountain, extending the airport car park and new internal cemetery roads.
Preliminary work has also started on a water pipeline from Spring Creek Dam to the Water Treatment Works, an environmental assessment of the old saleyards site and designing wetlands for the Blackmans stormwater harvesting scheme.
Orange mayor Reg Kidd said project work was complying with government coronavirus regulations.
"For as long as we can, we're getting on with this work," he said.
He said the rail overpass bridge was set to be completed by July. "With the new section of Edward Street now open, we can start to move towards developing a master-plan of the former saleyards site so it can be sold as industrial blocks," he said.
"That has the potential to be another key site for Orange's business community.
"Anyone who's driven along the top end of Hill Street can see the shape of new roads starting to emerge next to the new roundabout."
Cr Kidd said work was also proceeding on the Carl Sharpe Cricket Centre at Wade Park. "We're on-track to proceed with the concrete pour on the main slab next week."
Orange City Council's Infrastructure Committee chair, Cr Jeff Whitton said the work was helping keep the local economy ticking over during a tough time.
"Council staff are making good progress on the new McLachlan Street roundabout. They've reached the stage of starting to surface the new roadway. Weather permitting, that project will be completed by the end of April, " he said.
"On other end of the construction scale, it's pleasing to see the new Robertson Park toilet take shape. Underground sewer and site drainage is now complete."
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