This week Transport for NSW announced that Wagga Wagga City Council is one of 16 NSW local government areas to receive $500,000 towards a new project to streamline the delivery of street-based events.
The Permit/Plug/Play Pilot Program funding allow councils to enhance event infrastructure in selected locations and improve management processes. This will reduce some of the costly expenses for community event organisers and make it easier to hold events more frequently in the long term.
Council's Destination and Events Coordinator Kimberly Parker says the funding will be going towards Council's Wagga Wagga Cultural Precinct Revitalisation Project to streamline event management for organisers while supporting the reduction of operational costs.
"The project, supported by funding from the pilot program, will activate the streets of Wagga Wagga and support street-based events, such as the Festival of W," Ms Parker said.
"In particular, the project will focus on the city centre, including Baylis Street (Morrow to Fitzmaurice streets), Morrow Street (Baylis to Peter streets), and Burns Way, and will deliver enhanced economic, cultural and social benefits such as increased visitation to the city, resurgence of live music and events, and social interaction.
"This will see improvements to our existing procedures and plans which provide pre-defined arrangements and requirements to support recurrent, street-based events. The whole process will be more streamlined."
Ms Parker says Council also wants to develop practical tools making it easier for event organisers as they prepare for street-based activations.
"We're looking to develop pre-approved Traffic Control Plan (TCP) templates to simplify the online booking process for event organisers. These documents show the layout of signs, barriers, detour routes and other interventions required for a street closure to ensure safe vehicle and pedestrian movement.
"Additionally, Council will be looking to install enabling infrastructure for selected sites, such as bollards, electricity provision, lighting, and signage to help drive down the costs of staging events."
Feedback and evaluation from the program will be shared with Transport for NSW.
