Design work on a major upgrade of Kibble Park in the heart of the Gosford CBD is set to begin, after Central Coast Council adopted the Kibble Park Place Plan and Kibble Park Concept Plan at its meeting on September 26.
The Kibble Park Place Plan and Concept Plan design project commenced in 2020, with extensive internal and external consultation, but was paused due to Council’s financial crisis, as delivery of the Plan was dependent on funding.
Council’s Director Community and Recreation Services, Melanie Smith, said the plans were re-exhibited this year, and now the community consultation report has been finalised.
“This project is a very important one for the Gosford CBD, as it looks at how Kibble Park can be improved for community use, including more green space,” she said.
“Also, with the construction of the new Gosford Regional Library in Donnison St now having commenced, the redesign of Kibble Park will complement that new development.”
Smith said Kibble Park was the civic heart of the Gosford CBD, with the park widely utilised by local residents for leisure and play, businesses and workers on their lunch breaks and community groups and businesses running events and activations.
She said the park was in need of an upgrade due to dated infrastructure, to improve safety and functionality for activities and to improve connections to the new regional library development and Imperial Centre.
The Plan takes into consideration the feedback received during the Safer Cities Her Way project, where participants highlighted feeling unsafe in Kibble Park.
“Given the pause in the project, we revisited the plans to reflect what is achievable – then asked the community for feedback before finalising,” Smith said.
The Consultation Report includes feedback on a key design recommendation – the removal of the existing Gosford library.
The community feedback on the removal of the library was split evenly between those in favour (29 per cent) and those opposed (29 per cent, with most responses neutral (42 per cent).
Smith said under the new Plan design, the current library would be replaced with an extended, dedicated turf events space with appropriate services and facilities to host a range of events.
It will also include a dedicated stage space with shelter, storage and services with appropriate vehicular access.
“A flexible amphitheatre will also be created, with a water cascade to provide visual appeal, wide seating will provide a raised view of the park and space to view concerts and events, and space will be provided for pop up events and stalls along the northern edge,” she said.
Council Administrator Rik Hart said he was pleased to see the planning moving ahead.
“With the commencement now of the new regional library, across the road from Kibble Park, which will provide an extraordinary facility for Gosford and the wider Central Coast community, we can now really envisage how a redesigned Kibble Park can look,” he said.
“The removal of the existing library will increase the green space on this site significantly, which, in light of the extensive accommodation development going on in Gosford CBD, will provide a wonderful open space for residents living in the vicinity.”
Newly elected member of Council’s Heritage Committee Gary Jackson addressed the public forum prior to the meeting requesting deferral of the Plan until the committee had a better chance to look at the heritage values of the current library which is to be demolished when the new regional library across the road is opened in 2025.
Jackson said he believed the library was of heritage significance and should be retained.
“We would like the chance to conduct a full review of its significance,” he told the forum.
He said there were mixed views but the committee would like to perhaps make suggestions for alternative uses for the building such as a tourist information centre, youth centre, or an internet hub.
For more information visit https://www.yourvoiceourcoast.com/kibblepark
Source:
Central Coast Council