Light poles are being installed along a popular pedestrian path stretching north from Princes Drive in Morwell to make the area safer for local residents.
Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester visited the path along Waterhole Creek with Latrobe City Council Mayor Darrell White prior to the first of the poles being erected.
Mr Chester said the $375,000 project to improve lighting on the path along Waterhole Creek was funded under the Australian Government’s Safer Streets Program to help improve actual and perceived community safety levels in the area.
“The Federal Government provided funding to Latrobe City Council to install up to 60 light poles and lighting along a 1.5 kilometre section of the walking path on the west side of Waterhole Creek, starting on the northern side of the Princes Drive underpass near Kernot Lake,” Mr Chester said.
“This improved lighting is designed to encourage greater use of the facility and provide a safer community space for local residents.”
Latrobe City Council Mayor Darrell White said increased lighting at Waterhole Creek would encourage community members to enjoy and use the infrastructure in the area.
“The Morwell community has been asking for this work to be done,” Councillor White said.
“Many locals come to the Waterhole Creek area to enjoy the natural ambience of the creek and use the nearby facilities, including the cultural walk, the fitness stations and the picnic tables. Some, though, are perhaps deterred from visiting after dark due to perceived safety concerns.
“We hope the new lights will help the community to feel safer and deter those who might engage in criminal behaviour in the area. We want to encourage more community activity and these new lights will help us to do that,” he said.
The Safer Streets Program uses funding drawn from the Proceeds of Crime Account, which uses money taken from criminals to fund crime prevention initiatives.
