Councillors resolved on Tuesday night to allocate $2.03M in funding from the Federal Government's Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Fund Extension Phase 3, to the Kooyoo Street Redevelopment.
Earlier this year, Council was successful in obtaining $1M in funding through the NSW State Government's 'Your High Street Grant Program', to partly fund Stage 1 of the redevelopment.
Griffith Mayor, Councillor John Dal Broi said every Council has been given an allocation to fund a project which is accessible for the community as a whole.
"Council saw this funding as an opportunity to provide external funding toward the Kooyoo Street Redevelopment, at no cost to the rate payers," said Councillor Dal Broi.
"The $2.03M will go toward the completion of Stage 1 works from Banna Avenue to Banna Lane, and Stage 2 from Banna Lane to Yambil Street."
The Kooyoo Street project will enhance the link between Banna Avenue and Yambil Street within the Griffith CBD, creating a space that can be temporarily closed to become an urban plaza for cultural and art events, markets and holiday celebrations, with improvements to traffic, pedestrian, retail and outdoor eating amenity.
"The proposal would see the precinct redeveloped to see Kooyoo Street become more pedestrian centric, which will improve livability, health outcomes, social cohesion, and economic activity which all contributes to improving our City," said Councillor Dal Broi.
"The proposed design will provide a shade canopy with trees, with no kerb & gutter in the north block and one way traffic from Banna Avenue to Banna Lane."
By redeveloping Kooyoo Street permanently, Council will be able to host more events into the future which will have a positive impact on residents, visitors, and business operators in the CBD. Provisions will be put in place for power for kiosks, food vans, vendors, along with smart lighting, a WiFi connection and furniture to charge phones with Council looking at as many ways as possible to make Kooyoo Street a usable and well thought out space now and into the future.
