Lismore city council has received a $500,000 grant from the NSW government to revitalise the village of Nimbin.
A popular tourist destination, Nimbin was among the many areas in NSW hit by intense flooding earlier this year. The grant will provide Lismore with funding to improve the streetscape of the village, aiding in its continued rehabilitation.
“Nimbin attracts tens of thousands of visitors from around the globe every year and this project will make the village even more attractive and welcoming for locals and tourists,” said Lismore mayor Steve Krieg. “This investment is about enhancing accessibility for all our community, walkability, and importantly improving the safety of the pedestrian crossing on Cullen Street.”
Upgrades to Nimbin’s public spaces will be done in collaboration with Transport for NSW (TfNSW), which will be assisting with the project’s design, implementation, and evaluation.
“The NSW government is committed to helping these communities not only rebuild but thrive following the devastating floods,” said Caroline Butler-Bowdon, TfNSW executive director cities revitalisation and place. “These projects provide improvements to how we use our public spaces, support local economies and make our streets more attractive and welcoming. This project is one of many that will activate and re-imagine an under-utilised space and provide social, health and economic benefits for the local community. We’ve seen the strength and resilience shown by the people of Nimbin, and now it’s time to breathe new life into the town, which has long been a tourist hotspot.”
The Nimbin Village Wayfinder Project seeks to improve pedestrian mobility, safety, and accessibility on the town’s main thoroughfare, Cullen Street. Additionally, as Butler-Bowdon said, it seeks to create “more dynamic areas” for locals and tourists alike through the addition of greenery, seating, and artwork by local artists. It is scheduled to start on December 2022 and will be completed by March 2023.
The $500,000 grant received by the Lismore city council is part of the NSW government’s ‘Streets as Shared Spaces’ initiative, which was set up to help communities and local economies improve their streets and shared public areas.
