New playgrounds, a skate park, sportsfield drainage and a cycleway are coming, with Wollongong City Council formally adopting its infrastructure delivery program.
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At Monday night's meeting councillors unanimously voted to adopt the four-year delivery program - with almost $700 million in projects - and operational plan.
Among the 630 projects set to be tackled in the next 12 months are eight parks to be created or renewed, including a new skate park in Wollongong and the design work for another in Thirroul.
Replacement playgrounds will be built in Stanwell Park, Riley Park in Unanderra, Lang Park in Wollongong, Southspur Reserve in Cordeaux Heights.
Judy Masters Park Sportsground, Lakelands Oval in Dapto and at Russell Vale's Cawley Park will all get drainage.
As well, there are plans for a new shared cycle path connecting North Beach and North Wollongong station.
Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said the council would do its best while also coping with restoration work brought by rain events over the past two years, as well as rising costs.
"As a city we are in an extremely challenging economic climate," Cr Bradbery said.
"Increases in material costs, significant weather events and global economic uncertainties means that we must be realistic about what we can and can't achieve.
"We also recognise that a growing number of our community are doing it tough due to the ongoing housing crisis and economic uncertainty. At the same time, our community continues to remain ambitious with their expectations for council."
Council general manager Greg Doyle said the delivery program included $681 million worth of projects over the next four years "which is an exciting investment in our city".
"Council does an incredible amount of work for the community including providing ongoing services as well as delivering hundreds of projects each year," Mr Doyle said.
"What we do is fundamentally for our community and these strategic documents reflect that."
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Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
