Both sides of Fitzmaurice Street will have parklets installed as part of the project to improve the area’s amenity.
Eleven parklets will be installed as part of the Fitzmaurice Street Beautification Project funded by the NSW Government.
A parklet is typically the extension of the footpath into a parking area, but in this instance the Wagga City Council is preserving the parking and utilising the wide footpaths instead.
Council’s Strategic Asset Planner Ben Creighton said the installation of the parklets is the final element in the beautification project.
“The public seating platforms will provide additional spaces for the community to socialise and connect when using Fitzmaurice Street,” Mr Creighton said.
Constructed with durable material requiring minimal maintenance, the parklets are expected to elevate trade capacity for businesses and local foot traffic.
The parklets will be installed on the wide footpaths in under-utilised areas near restaurants and retailers.
The placement of the parklets complies with pedestrian requirements.
Mr Creighton said the installation work would be done outside business hours to minimise business impact.
“Some parking spaces will be temporarily unavailable for up to two hours,” Mr Creighton. said. The Council secured a $271,000 grant from the NSW Government’s ‘Your High Street’ program to promote permanent improvements to the amenity and functionality of streets to benefit local economies and public well-being.
The beautification project includes the installation of lighting and parklets with bike features, looking to stimulate activity and enhance connections to Active Travel Plan routes and the riverfront.
The project also aims to improve the street’s attractiveness, safety, accessibility, and walkability.
Decorative lighting has been installed on trees along Fitzmaurice Street, creating a safer, more inviting pathway to the road.
Safety lighting has been installed along the Wiradjuri Trail pathway between the Riverside precinct and Fitzmaurice Street.