Indoor play centre proposed for old Bunnings site

By David Fitzsimons
A commercially-run indoor play centre has been proposed for part of the old Bunnings site in Orange on Bathurst Road.
Orange City Council was told at its Tuesday night meeting the proposal was going through the early stages of the development planning process.
The project was raised during council debate on whether it should set up its own indoor play centre for this winter, potentially at the former Pee Wees Play Centre on Byng Street.
Suggestions of a "children’s amusement centre" at the old Bunnings site were mentioned at council’s last meeting on March 25.
Several councillors told Tuesday’s meeting they did not want to compete with a commercial operation.
They said council would probably close its own centre once a commercial operation started.
Details of the commercial operation were scant due to it being in the early days of its planning process.
Council voted to secure a site for the operation of its own indoor facility from May 1 to August 30 this year.
It also agreed council would secure the rental of indoor play equipment for its facility and conduct an expression of interest period to find someone to operate the facility.

During the debate councillor Tony Mileto said he was concerned at the costs council might have to pay to set up and run the centre. He said it could cost up to $9,000 a week.
Mileto said council might take a “safe approach” and delay the project until more costings and details were available.
Mayor Jason Hamling said there was strong public demand for an indoor centre and said it was only initially being proposed for this year.
Last month council approved a development application to divide up the old Bunnings site into several smaller spaces.
Kommentare