The Dubbo 2036 process has been rewarding for all those involved – in particular for the community. To provide a snapshot of how far we’ve come so far to realise the community’s vision for Dubbo, I will deliver the inaugural ‘State of the City’ report on Thursday at 10am at Dubbo City Council’s Ground Floor Central Conference Room. I encourage as many people from the community as possible to attend and hear about the history of the Dubbo 2036 process as I deliver the first report card.
Meanwhile, the report card from the Dubbo Stampede on the weekend was very impressive. There were 2,742 people entered across the three distances and the weather was perfect for a wonderful day of running. I have seen people out training over the last few months and it has been talked about intensely around the water coolers for the last week. With 45 per cent of the entries coming from outside of Dubbo, other people are being introduced to our beautiful City. I look forward to another great event next year – hopefully with the addition of a full marathon.
There was more excitement on Monday in our City with the launch of our nation’s first utility-scale solar farm open to small investors. With Dubbo number one across the nation in terms of take up of photovoltaic cells on our houses, Soleir saw a perfect opportunity to set up a solar farm in Dubbo where residents have embraced the renewable energy source. In addition to the flexibility of Council – leasing them buffer zone land that can’t have normal buildings on it – it was a real win-win-win for our community, Soleir and the environment. I look forward to seeing the construction continue.
While launching the solar farm, it seemed like a great opportunity to inform the public about the merits of the new Mayoral vehicle. Dubbo City Council is the first in the nation to choose an electric option for the primary Mayoral vehicle. This is both practical and a leadership step. This electric car in particular is the first of the three current EV cars in Australia to solve range anxiety problems. In addition to the normal electric motor and a large battery (with an 87km range), it has a small petrol motor that acts as a generator if the battery goes flat. The 40 litre tank extends the range by another 500km. For the Mayoral role, which involves short trips within Dubbo 95 per cent of the time, it is the perfect vehicle.
Thanks to all for the continuing support for the Toyota Tour de OROC. In particular, the communities across the region have banded together and are being incredibly supportive. I look forward to seeing the parade of Mayors in their lycra! Visit www.tourdeoroc.com/donate if you wish to donate.
Clr Mathew Dickerson
Mayor of the City of Dubbo