Road safety, playground top the list of Smythesdale priorities

A PEDESTRIAN crossing on the Glenelg Highway and more community facilities such as a children’s playground have emerged as priorities for Smythesdale residents as part of the next community plan.

Carolyn Hellyar, one of five volunteer community coordinators guiding development of the Smythesdale Community Plan 2025-29, said the crossing and a playground were highlighted by many people who responded to a survey in August.

Ms Hellyar said a pedestrian crossing for the highway, particularly through the town centre, was among the biggest issues for locals as part of wider road safety concerns.

“It’s been a massive issue in town and it was probably the one that was mentioned the most, and from different age groups,” she said.

“A lot of people were passionate about that one.”

The survey was part of the Golden Plains Shire’s Community Planning Program, which has been running since 2000 and helps 23 communities in the municipality develop and execute their own four-year plans.

The new Smythesdale plan is scheduled to be launched at the Smythesdale Country Market on Saturday 20 December.

Ms Hellyar said the general condition of roads around the town was mentioned frequently, along with the need for more community and recreation facilities such as a children’s playground and possibly even a splash park.

“The (Smythesdale Country) market got mentioned quite a bit,” she said, adding that there were not a lot of options in terms of playground equipment for primary school-aged children.

“There’s the hall, there is the skate park and a bike track, and there is a little playground at the gardens, but there is no decent playground to take them to other than the school.”

Ms Hellyar said a playground was already listed in the Shire’s plan for Smythesdale but the council did not yet have funding for it.

She said the main general themes identified in the survey were improved community facilities and infrastructure, activities and events, and expanding aspects of the township’s historical heritage.

Ms Hellyar said more than 160 individual survey responses were lodged, among a total of 273 responses overall when contributions from members of the same family were taken into account.

“It was massive,” she said. “We got really good engagement. I think for the last plan they got 29, so it was a huge difference.”

Ms Hellyar said once the plan is launched, the community coordinators will start the process of seeking funding for projects.

The Shire will support the coordinators in their preparation and submission of grant applications.