Despite its attempt to make it more attractive for contractors, by breaking the job up into smaller components, Kiama Council has again received no tenders for its $3 million upgrade of Hindmarsh Park.

Council’s Director of Engineering Mike Dowd is disappointed by the lack of response to the second tender and says the feedback had been that construction firms are booked solid, the distance from Sydney was an issue, the design is unique and challenging, and the Christmas break had resulted in less interest.

This is in addition to industrywide issues of labour shortages, interest rates and supply chain delays.

“We’re now doing further revisions, to better quantify requirements and allow more flexibility in materials, which should make it more attractive to potential tenderers,” said Mr Dowd.

Kiama Mayor Neil Reilly is urging contractors to bid for the chance to create a unique new playspace, designed to be quintessentially Kiama.

“Hindmarsh Park is in a blue-ribbon location right in the heart of Kiama and whoever takes on this project will be creating a legacy they can point to with pride for many years to come,” says Mayor Reilly.

“We’ve worked with the community and our landscape designers Civille to create a concept design for Hindmarsh Park that is distinctive and draws on the history of Kiama – you won’t see a park like this elsewhere.

“It would be a huge win for any contractor to take on this project – it’s a beautiful park located front-row-centre in one of NSW’s most popular tourist towns.

“We had more than 15,000 people through Hindmarsh Park on New Year’s Eve alone this year. It’s a showcase project that any firm would be proud to say: ‘We built that!’”

The Hindmarsh Park upgrade is being funded by a $3 million grant from the NSW Government NSW Public Spaces Legacy program, with significant additional funding recently received to upgrade the Orry Kelly stage.

Council has previously received an extension for the funding, allowing it to begin the work and finish it in June, and is working towards getting another extension given this is not going to happen.

The updated tender will go live on Tenderlink before the end of January.