Johnny Gorton has been elected chairperson of the Community Reference Group (CRG) that will steer the implementation of Horsham’s riverfront activation project.
Mr Gorton and the CRG will help turn existing ideas about enhancing the riverfront into detailed plans that will be put out for public comment later this year.
The CRG met via video conferencing for the first time last month.
The group is made up of three community members, eight people from Horsham organisations and four Council officers.
The riverfront activation is one of seven precincts included in the City to River Masterplan, and it will be the first to progress from conceptual ideas to the detailed planning stage.
Mr Gorton is chairman of Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Co-operative and is a member of Horsham Rural City Council’s Aboriginal Advisory Committee.
He said his aim was to ensure the final plans for the riverfront reflected the public’s feedback.
More than 700 people made submissions about the overall Masterplan during last year’s engagement period with many ideas put forward about how to make the riverfront a more inviting place for everyone now and for generations to come.
“I’m looking forward to working with the other committee members. They are all there for the right reason and that is to represent the community,” Mr Gorton said.
“There was a fair bit of debate about the overall City to River plan. But we know from the feedback that making the riverfront better was something that many people supported.
“We probably won’t please absolutely everybody. But what we want to do is make sure everyone’s voice is heard and help deliver a final plan that is a reflection of the discussion process,” he said.
The CRG’s next meeting will be a public webinar on Thursday, 14 May from 7pm to 8pm. Details on how to join the video conference will be available soon.
“I encourage anyone who has an interest in the project to logon and have a look,” Mr Gorton said.
