Council aldermen have been out lending a hand at the Katherine Hot Springs this week in an effort to get the drawn-out project across the finish line.
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Elisabeth Clark, Toni Tapp Coutts and Matt Hurley have mustered support for a planting initiative, introducing native trees to the area in a bid to create a cool and shady environment for visitors.
Nineteen natives were planted this morning with the help of some volunteers and workers from the Rise Ventures Community Development Program.
White apples, weeping tee trees and peanut trees now dot the top section of the hot springs, and while standing just over a metre today, will grow into a large, leafy canopy.
The greening initiative started last week with smaller shrubs planted in new garden beds adjacent to the road.
Planting in stages, the aldermen expect the work to be finished in about one month.
However, according to a Katherine Town Council spokeswoman the installation of bollards, signage and access gates remain before the high fences blocking the area can come down.
"Katherine Town Council [is] happy to announce the completion and issuing of occupancy certification on the Stage 1 remediation construction works," the spokeswoman said in a statement last week.
"This has been a long overdue project for Katherine Town Council and we are pleased that its completion has been reached.
"We are currently undertaking the landscaping and concrete paths for the top section. This will be closely followed by final finishes such as the installation of bollards as well as signage and access gates."
Although the actual hot springs themselves are locked down with wet season closures, the long-delayed works on the bank have come in for heavy criticism from residents.
Despite repeated promises from Katherine Town Council last year the project would be completed by the end of 2019, the hot springs remain behind high fences.
Alderman Elisabeth Clark said community members have been eager to get involved in the planting project.
"People are realising it is for them, we are trying to fix it up and the community wants to get involved," she said.
"We know [the project] has taken a long time but we need to move forward and get it done."
The only experienced horticulturalist sitting on council, Mrs Clark said she wanted to put her expertise to use.
She said she has plans to put creepers along the gabion rock wall now in place on the bank of the hot springs.
And native trees donated by the McArthur River Mine, 70 kilometres southwest of Borroloola, will soon be delivered to stabalise the sloping bank and prevent erosion.
As for the highly anticipated "turtle themed, all access playground", expected to be be installed by April 2020, details remain scarce, despite repeated requests from the Katherine Times for more information and to see plans.
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