Lord Mayor's Column: Delivering the goods for the city

We’re asking our community to tell us what we got right in this year’s draft Delivery Program 2025-2029 and Operational Plan 2026-2027.

We’re also keen to hear what’s missing from these documents, which guide all of the work Council will do for our community over the next financial year and beyond.

I’m really proud of this draft Delivery Program and Operational Plan. There is so much work goes into their development from Councillors and Council staff, who ensure feedback heard from our community influences how we prioritise what we’re delivering for all those who call Wollongong home.

This is a plan and a budget that we can hold our heads up high on. We’re delivering the big things that we want like new libraries, extending the seawall at North Wollongong Beach to mitigate the risk of climate change and protect some of our city’s valued heritage items, and two new skateparks.

We’re also getting on with new footpaths and repairs to existing assets that’ll extend the life of our valued community centres, facilities and cultural hubs into the future.

The “little” things aren’t overlooked either. This Plan ensures that the new, hot-off-the-press releases and bestselling books, which are on everyone’s To Be Read lists, are available in our seven library branches.

What may come as a surprise is that these documents also capture the strategic work of Wollongong City Council. When I’m not out in the community meeting sporting groups, creative organisations or hearing from residents about matters that concern them, I’m part of a range of key strategic conversations.

The importance of these meetings cannot be underestimated. They’re about ensuring we, as a city, are in a position to capitalise on opportunities on our doorstep. It’s essential we’re not just in the room where these conversations happen, but that we have a seat at the table and our voice is heard on city-shifting projects like the future of the BlueScope lands site, plans for the Illawarra sports and entertainment centre precinct, and how we can support the growth of aged care in Wollongong.

Because there’s such a wide diversity of content in these plans, I’m reluctant to shout out about too many specific projects. That said, I’d like to call out Council’s ongoing investment in sports fields as I know this is of interest to so many people in our city.

We have a significant challenge in Wollongong with limited space, a vast array of sports and so many passionate people keen to see their game top of the leaderboard when it comes to access to spaces and investment.

Recently we announced 8 successful projects who had received a share of the almost $400,000 on offer through the Council-funded Sports Grants Program. We had a total of 37 eligible applications, which clearly indicates the level of interest from the sporting community in Wollongong.

In recent years, we’ve ticked off a few key items like securing the Illawarra Stingrays a home ground, the upgraded amenities and all-gender change rooms at Thomas Gibson Park and installed improved lighting and drainage at St James Park in Coledale.

We’re continuing to honour this commitment to sporting improvements in this plan. There’ll be new amenities constructed at Figtree Oval, and we’ve plans in place to design amenities at Judy Masters Oval and Fred Finch Park.

We’ll be putting in new lights at Berkeley, and designing lighting improvements for Keira Oval, Mt Kembla sportsfield and for the training fields at Towradgi.

Now is the time to have a look at these documents, and share your feedback with Council on our to-do list for the next few years.

We’re genuine when we say we want to hear from you – after all these plans are what we’re doing for our community to ensure Wollongong is the best place to live, work and play now and into the future.