Building a better Broken Hill with $8.7 million investment
Published on 04 November 2021
From Federal Member for Parkes, Mark Coulton:
The Broken Hill community can look forward to benefitting from a brand new library and revitalised Central Business District, thanks to a whopping $8.7 million investment from the Federal Government.
Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton yesterday met with Broken Hill Mayor Darriea Turley AM to discuss plans to build the state-of-the-art library, archive centre and cultural precinct during a visit to Broken Hill this week.
“It’s fantastic to finally get out to Broken Hill to see and hear first-hand just what a difference this project will make to the silver city,” Mr Coulton said.
“A vibrant CBD is vital for regional towns and cities to not only attract visitors but to entice people to move to and stay in our regions.
“Having a modern library is a key part of attracting families to town. A library is more than just books; it’s a meeting place, a cultural and educational centre and an important community facility, and this project will provide a wonderful new asset for the people of Broken Hill.
“The refurbishment of the Town Hall façade will also be an enormous boost to the community, while the redevelopment of the existing library into an archive centre will provide a home for the city’s invaluable historical artefacts.
“Broken Hill City Council has been working towards this project for many years and now, as the beneficiary of the largest grant in my electorate under this round of the highly successful Building Better Regions Fund, they can make this dream a reality.”
Mr Coulton said this project will also create local jobs during the construction period, providing a significant economic boost to Broken Hill.
“The Building Better Regions Fund is all about strengthening the local economy and delivering lasting benefits to communities like Broken Hill, particularly as it recovers from the impacts of COVID-19,” Mr Coulton said.
“Broken Hill City Council deserves a huge congratulations on receiving grant – it’s an outstanding success for our region and I’m very excited to see the project come to fruition.”
Broken Hill Mayor Darriea Turley AM said this project will be a game-changer for Broken Hill.
“We are deeply appreciative of the Federal Government's support for this important and transformative project,” Cr Turley said.
“This new facility and surrounding precinct will revolutionise library services in Broken Hill, provide another drawcard to strengthen the CBD, and ensure our precious history is preserved for decades to come.”
The Broken Hill CBD revitalisation project is one of only three projects in the Parkes electorate to receive funding under Round 5 of the BBRF. The Australian Government has committed almost $300 million to 298 projects across regional Australia under this latest round, taking the total support to $1.38 billion.
For a full list of successful projects, please visit: www.business.gov.au/bbrf