Cobar Shire Council’s Economic Taskforce Committee met recently to develop several key points to present at last Thursday’s Ordinary Council Meeting.
At the July 18 meeting members were provided with an update on the truck wash bay, the Regional Marketing and Promotion project, the development of the Destination Cobar website and Facebook page and were also given an update on initiatives at the Great Cobar Heritage Centre.
Following a successful grant application, it was advised the Regional Marketing and Promotion project should be completed by the end of the year. The Destination Cobar website basic design is almost complete with a photography competition to be held in August to create a library of photos for use on the site.
It is hoped that the website will go live in September or October.
The Destination Cobar Facebook page is up and running and will be tied to the website to help promote Cobar.
Cobar Shire Council’s projects officer Miranda Riley presented ideas to the meeting on how collaboration of Cobar businesses and council could benefit the marketing of Cobar.
A recommendation was made by the committee to council to urge CBD business owners to encourage their employees not to park in the main street to allow more parking spaces for potential customers.
Council has endorsed this recommendation with the taskforce to write to business owners outlining the importance of parking off of the main street and what their alternate parking options are.
The committee has also asked council to look at signage options encouraging tourists to park in Lewis Street and to the council carpark to enjoy Drummond Park and walk into the CBD.
The taskforce has also made a recommendation to council that a report be made outlining the cost of sealing the Grand Hotel carpark and the carpark adjacent to the cinema.
Council endorsed this recommendation and will provide a report to the taskforce for their next meeting.
Ms Riley reported the Great Cobar Heritage Centre wants to be acknowledged as a community facility and is looking for community input to improve their exhibits. This subject will be further explored by the taskforce.
An update was given at the meeting of an architect’s visit regarding an extension to the museum. Taskforce committee member Heath Budd outlined his vision to replicate a mine where you move from an old mine workings section into a modern day mine.
The draft Newey Land Use Plan was discussed again and a resolution was noted at the Ordinary Meeting that the majority of the taskforce members resolved that legal free camping should be available in the shire.
Topics to be discussed at future meetings include the forming of a 2020 committee and a Tourism Advisory Committee and how to encourage an ‘open for business’ perception of our main street.
