Wardell Village Centre Revitalisation

Stage 1

Ballina Shire Council commenced construction of the Wardell Community Green Space on Richmond Street on Monday 2 September 2024.

The Wardell Village Centre Revitalisation Master Plan was adopted by Council in November 2023 after extensive community engagement, including a community led design charette. A key outcome of the master plan was to develop a community green space at the end of Richmond Street. This first stage of works will see the western end of Richmond Street transformed into a multi-purpose green space. Removeable bollards will enable the space to be opened up to hold small community markets and other events that support social and economic recovery and activation. 

What to expect
During construction Richmond Street, between Sinclair Street and Blackwall Drive, will be closed to traffic and pedestrians. General construction noise will occur during standard work hours, 7am to 6pm from Monday to Friday, and 8am to 1pm on Saturdays. 

The works will include:

• Shared (pedestrian priority) zone and reduced traffic speed
• Streetscape paving at the western end of Richmond Street
• New street furniture and interpretative signage
• Pedestrian crossing on Sinclair Street south of Richmond Street
• Formalised car parking on a grass surface at the eastern end
• Landscaping (includes protection of fig trees and native vegetation)
• Drainage, lighting and electrical upgrades
• Community inspired art.

This project has been jointly funded by Ballina Shire Council and the NSW Government’s Local Government Recovery Program.

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Wardell Village Centre Revitalisation Master Plan

The Wardell Village Centre Revitalisation Master Plan was adopted at the 23 November 2023 Council Meeting.

The plan was developed through extensive community consultation with local businesses, community groups, residents and visitors. The Draft Master Plan was on exhibition from Tuesday 3 October to Tuesday 24 October 2023.

The Master Plan includes three main focus areas:

• connecting to the river
• streetscape of Richmond Street and Sinclair Street
• community green space.

Designs in these focus areas seek to address the key community directions culminating from the many engagement activities and the community design charette undertaken in March 2023.

Council allocated $900,000 from the NSW Government’s Local Government Recovery Program towards this project.

At the 23 November meeting Council approved the allocation of $208,000 from the Community Infrastructure Reserve to increase the total budget for this project to $1,108,000, based on $43,000 expended to date, leaving a construction budget of $1,065,000.

• Wardell Village Centre Revitalisation Master Plan (pdf)