Mayor's Message - Wednesday 21 September

Wet winter weather unfortunately prevents the cost-effective targeting of anything but relatively minor road repairs. With the City of Ballarat maintaining more than 1,200 kilometres of sealed roads and 390 kilometres of unsealed roads the drier spring and summer conditions will be welcomed. 

The City of Ballarat will now be able to implement its plan to repair and resurface more than 170 residential roads across the municipality. There will also be 27 projects that include complete road reconstructions as well as major intersection upgrades.   

This year we have increased the road maintenance budget by $666,000, and in 2022/23 expenditure on roads will use up one fifth of Council’s annual budget, with the remainder dedicated to more than 80 other different services. 

Tenders will soon be released for repairing and resurfacing nearly 9% of the City of Ballarat’s total sealed road network. This includes 91 roads, covering some 367,015 square metres targeted for resealing, and 82 roads covering 29,110 square metres targeted for major patching.  An additional 27 projects include the reconstruction of 15 kilometres of sealed and unsealed roads. 

As road works ramp up, we can look forward to local roads improving over the next few months.  

In another exciting development the City of Ballarat is seeking federal and state government funding support to bring forward delivery of a new library and learning centre in Wendouree.  

This is a transformational project as a new Wendouree Library and Learning Centre would serve about 41,000 residents living in the northern part of the municipality. 

Coming up on Saturday 1 October, we are proud to be able to host our Western Bulldogs AFLW team in their clash with the Geelong Cats at Mars Stadium. This will be one of two home games scheduled as part of the NAB AFL Women’s Season.   

Finally this week, if you are looking for a new pet, the Ballarat Animal Shelter may have the perfect answer as it continues its drive to find new homes for some of its 70 feline friends. For more information follow the Ballarat Animal Shelter on Facebook.

Mayor

Daniel Moloney