Have your say on your vision for Wagga Wagga’s future

Published: 19 Jan 2024 12:54pm

All of our community are being asked to share their views, thoughts, aspirations, and visions for the future of the City of Wagga Wagga and its surrounding villages.

Wagga Wagga City Council is facilitating the development of a new Community Strategic Plan (CSP) to be known as Wagga Wagga 2050.

The Community Strategic Plan (CSP) is Council’s highest-level plan and will provide direction and focus for all future plans and strategies for the City of Wagga Wagga over the coming 20 – 25 years.

Council will be heading out across the local government area over coming months to engage with all levels of the community to identify the long-term vision, aspirations, and main priorities for the local government area.

Some members of the community might have already chatted to us at our pop-up stall at the Fusion, Yandarra Festival, and International Day of People with Disability events late last year.

Deputy Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga Councillor Amelia Parkins is encouraging residents of all ages and backgrounds to get involved in the engagement process.

“This is not a Council specific plan; it is a community plan, for the community, which defines who we are and where we want to be in the future,” Cr Parkins said.

“While updating the Community Strategic Plan is a legislative requirement, I think that is secondary to why we, as a council, want to understand the current aspirations of the community.

“We're looking ahead to 2050. A lot has changed in the world and locally in our community since we developed the last Community Strategic Plan in 2016.

“We want to reach all sections of the community through this engagement process and ensure that the plan is representative of what they aspire to and that it reflects any changes in our community vision.”

Wagga Wagga 2050 will provide a roadmap of how this vision will be achieved.

It will address four key questions: where we are now; where do we want to be in 2050; how will we get there; and how will we know we have arrived?

General Manager Peter Thompson stressed the CSP should address the full width of community aspirations.

“It covers all aspects of the community, from their opportunities to interact and engage on a social level, their sense of safety, cultural and recreational facilities and services, to economic sustainability, our environment, infrastructure and community leadership,” Mr Thompson said.

“It is essentially looking at the big picture of what makes Wagga Wagga a great place to live, and that is why it’s so important to give everyone in the community the chance to get involved and give us their input.

“We want to have a conversation with the community and to make sure we take the time to travel and get to all of the different places, to connect with the community.”

Over the coming seven months, Council staff will be visiting all local villages and suburbs as well as attending community events, local shopping centres, schools, and facilitating focus groups.

Residents are also encouraged to get involved online through our Have Your Say Wagga platform: haveyoursay.wagga.nsw.gov.au/csp2050

As part of our engagement, Council will have an interactive stall at the Back to School Party being held on Saturday 27 January at Chambers Park in Tolland.

“We’re also running an art competition asking people to draw or paint a picture of what they love about Wagga Wagga,” Executive Manager, Regional Activation – Projects Christine Priest said.

“We have already received more than 70 entries in the competition, which runs until Friday 26 April 2024.

“We are also asking for the community to share why they love our community. This could be a photograph, a few words, a video, a story, or even a song, which can be posted on our Have Your Say page.

“I encourage all residents to take part and make their vision for Wagga Wagga 2050 count.”