Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke joined with members of the Gooloogong community to help officially mark the opening of the revamped amenities building at Gooloogong Park.
Ms Cooke said the state-of-the-art upgrade was made possible thanks to a $70,300 investment by the previous Coalition Government – under the Crown Reserves Improvement Fund program – and serves as a testament to the commitment of the Coalition in improving infrastructure and essential services in regional communities.
“Our villages are the beating heart of rural and regional communities; whenever I visit and chat with locals, I’m always so encouraged by their passion for their district, and their pride in their area; you couldn’t bestow an investment on a more grateful group of people,” Ms Cooke said.
“And it’s certainly no different in Gooloogong, where the renovated amenities building – which includes accessible showers and toilets – not only enhances the village for the benefit of residents, but also acts as a drawcard for tourists, with the park providing camping sites for visitors.
“It’s these kinds of investments that are crucial to the longevity of our towns and villages; they may only be relatively small, but assets like this pay huge dividends for local communities, with tourism having a flow-on effect throughout the economy, as visitors stop and spend money locally, before moving on to the next destination to spread the word among other travellers about where they’ve been.
“I will always be a steadfast advocate for local development opportunities, and will lobby the government strongly to continue investing in regional infrastructure, ensuring that the evolving needs of our communities are met, and that they have access to vital facilities like these.
“Maintaining and enhancing our Crown reserves means residents have access to quality spaces for sports and fitness, or to just relax, rejuvenate and stay in touch with each other.
“As Gooloogong looks to the future, the amenities building stands as a symbol of progress and a testament to the positive outcomes that collaboration and investment can yield,” she said.
