An artist’s impression of how the main street of Yass will look if there are no objections to the master plan – wider footpaths, more trees and outdoor dining areas. Photo: Yass Valley Council.
The Mayor of Yass, Allan McGrath, has called on residents of Yass, Bookham and Wee Jasper to have their say on how the main street of their town and villages should look.
Main street master plans for the three are now on public exhibition following extensive community consultation. They were endorsed by Yass Valley Council at its last meeting in July.
Mr McGrath said the plans would be on public exhibition on council’s website for 28 days. If there were no significant objections, they would be adopted.
“Many people talk about what they would like to see in their main street,” he said. “So now is the time for them to seize the moment and have their say about what is really needed. It’s their community.”
Strategic planning manager at Yass Valley Council, Liz Makin, said the master plans were designed to enhance the main streets through improved seating, lighting, tree planting, public art and cycle links.
“These plans will enable council and community groups to secure funding for projects identified,” she said.
“Consultants Sala4D and council staff have listened and acknowledged the Yass community’s desire for their main street to be more pedestrian friendly and attractive to visitors and locals alike,” she said.
For the main street of Yass, the plans show a mix of new and traditional improvements, ranging from the installation of an Instagram frame at Coronation Park for people to take selfies of their time in the Valley, to replacing footpath, landscaping and street furniture along the main street.
Yass town proposals also include the restoration of Chinaman’s Creek, with tree planting and weed removal as well as the installaton of an adjacent path, more outdoor dining areas by widening footpaths, commissioning a street artist to create a pedestrian crossing in Meehan Street and developing a rail trail along the disused line on Dutton Street to Yass Junction.
There’s also a plan to commission a detailed design for a Yass Soldiers Memorial Hall square to provide the community with a special place to hold ceremonies and events.
Proposed improvements to the village of Wee Jasper, about an hour out of Yass, include a new community square to host gatherings and a playground. Photo: Yass Valley Council.
For the village of Bookham, about 40km south of Yass on the Hume Highway, proposals for its main street include commissioning a highway hub to improve facilities for visitors and tourists including new tree planting and seating, a circuit path, outdoor exercise equipment and an off-leash dog area. Designs will be commissioned for a playground and improvements to the tennis courts, cricket pitch and oval.
The village car park will be improved and council will work with Transport for NSW to improve the safety of the highway pedestrian underpass with better lighting.
Major improvements are also earmarked for the village of Wee Jasper, about an hour’s drive from Yass town.
Long seen as isolated from the rest of the Valley because of its poor road access in and out, particularly during bushfire season, villagers have had their say about what they need and want. The upgrading of the Memorial Hall tops the list, so it can be used as an emergency evacuation centre for locals and camping ground visitors.
There’s also been a call for a community square to include a carpark, toilet, playground, undercover picnic area, barbecue, tree planting and new signs to make it into a fresh space for markets and other local gatherings. Establishment of a “slow street” on Wee Jasper Road to help traffic and the creation of a woodland walk have also been proposed.
To view all the master plans and other documents, go to the Yass Valley Council website here.
Public comment closes on Wednesday 31 August.
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