Gymea Bay Baths. Picture by Murray Trembath

Stage 1 of the Gymea Bay Baths Reserve upgrade and a new park in Caringbah Town Centre are among major individual items in Sutherland Shire Council's proposed $70.2 million capital works program for the next 12 months.

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The council has allocated $9.18 million for sports facilities and field renewal and upgrades, $10.73 million for footpaths, roadworks and traffic facilities and $4.10 million for renewal and upgrade of playgrounds.

A sum of $3.6m will be spent on the initial roll-out of the Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) collection and processing service, while $600,000 will go into planning a Community Recycling Centre and Circular Economy Hub.

A sum of $3.6m will be spent on the initial roll-out of the Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) collection and processing service. Picture Wollongong City Council

Nearly $18 million will be spent on transport and public domain improvements and $3 million on stormwater and water quality devices.

The draft budget and capital works program were endorsed at a special meeting on April 13 and will be exhibited for 28 days before being finalised.

Capital works funding has decreased $25 million from 2025-26.

A council spokeswoman said, "The year-on-year variation reflects the natural timing of capital project delivery rather than any reduction in council's long-term investment in community infrastructure".

"The 2026-27 draft budget places a strong emphasis on the planning and design of future major projects, while maintaining ongoing investment in asset renewal and essential infrastructure upgrades across council's asset base, valued at more than $3 billion," she said.

The council will take the full 4.2 per cent IPART Rate Peg as the base case for calculating individual rates.

A sum of $4 million has been allocated for Stage 1 of the Gymea Bay Baths Reserve upgrade, which will include new stairs at the street entrance and foreshore, car parking improvements and provision for a future lighting upgrade.

An allocation of $2.75 million will provide a new community park in Caringbah Town Centre, at the corner of Willarong Road and Kingsway, Caringbah. The council purchased two homes in 2022 using developer contributions.

Other allocations include:

• $1.2 million towards the $25 million cost of the new North Cronulla Surf Club.
  
• $2.7 million for car park construction at Burnum Burnum Sanctuary.