Smart growth for Wangaratta - Part One - Published 28 December 2018

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There’s a lot to like about living in Wangaratta and as more people cotton on to this, our country town is going to grow and this presents a great opportunity to make that growth smart and sustainable. Is this a big ask?

Growing our town means feeling safe. Safe to be able to walk our streets anytime. For children to ride on our roads, climb trees and catch bugs and butterflies in our parks. And an accepting culture where men might stay at home or work part-time and parents and carers of all ages feel supported. 

Growing our town means making sure all people have a roof over their heads that won’t cost the earth to build or run (pun intended). Affordable community and social housing must be part of every new estate our Rural City approves. If it’s not possible, then developers need to make a contribution to community or social enterprise projects with similar aims.

Growing our town means growing our own food. A local food-growing culture creates community and builds resilience, that’s the strength to cope with adversity including rising food prices, energy and fuel costs. Even water shortages and droughts. When our community grows its own, we all share the abundance. Giving makes us feel good, it also saves us time and money. 

If we nail this, then Wangaratta will grow because families will want to move here. We’ll have a reputation for putting people first and caring for our neighbours, our environment and our visitors, and this will create an amazing culture. 

How are those three priorities sitting with you?

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