Day one of construction on the “Halo of Colour” sculpture.

The completion of a giant “halo of colour” sculpture in the centre of the Condobolin Road roundabout is among the key finish­ing touches now under way for the Parkes Bypass project.

More than 1000 heavy vehicles a day have been taken out of the Parkes town centre since the new 10.5-kilometre by­pass alignment opened to Newell Highway traffic in April, and now crews are in the fi­nal stages of competing a number of activi­ties linked to the bypass.

The first is the installation of a six-metre high and 18-metre diameter piece of public art standing on the 98-metre Condobolin Road roundabout, featuring 24 columns and a number of brightly-coloured panels that have been craned into place since work started this week.

Vibrant artwork on signage being erected at the northern and southern ends of the bypass will welcome motorists, acknowl­edging that the Bypass is on Wiradjuri land, while a second piece of Aboriginal artwork features images of native fauna is in the final stages of being installed high across the highway on the Victoria Street bridge.

Stephen Lawrence, MLC, said “The halo sculpture in the centre of the Condobolin Road roundabout has been created to re­flect Parkes’ brand identity with an outer space theme reflecting Parkes’ iconic Dish, while the pair of Aboriginal artworks created by local Indigenous artists Scott ‘Sauce’ Towney and Kyah and Katlyn Turn­bull represent the land, their elders, local fauna and also Parkes as a meeting place in NSW’s Central West.

“We expect the final touches to the halo artwork to be completed by the end of the month, with the entry signage and the Vic­toria Street Bridge artwork installation to be in place in July.” More information on the Parkes Bypass Project can be found at www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/current-projects/parkes-bypass

Construction activities of the Quorn Park Hybrid Farm, on Back Trundle Road, ParkesNSW are progressing onsite, with materials delivered for access tracks and working ar­eas. Road upgrades to Henry Parkes Way and McGrath Lane, including an upgrade to the intersection, have commenced.

Piling works are also progressing on site and are expected to be completed in the upcoming weeks. These works involve steel posts being driven into the ground by a specialised piling machine, forming the framework for panel installation. Due to the hammer-like nature of the piling machines, there will be some noise associated with these works.

The ‘golden rows’ – the first solar panel rows installed on-site, which serve as the benchmark for layout, quality, and installa­tion pace – have been completed. With this key project milestone achieved, the me­chanical crews are preparing to begin in­stallation of the tracker components, which allow the solar panels to follow the sun’s movement and maximise energy produc­tion.

Panel installation will commence in the upcoming weeks, once the mechanical as­sembly of trackers is in progress.

Construction hours are Monday to Friday 7:00am to 6:00pm, and Saturday 7:00am to1:00pm.

Western Region Commander Andrew Holland with Forbes Mayor Phyllis Miller OAM, Inspector Dave Botha and Director of Planning and Growth Mathew Teale met at the Forbes Shire Council offices on Monday.

Forbes Mayor Phyllis Miller OAM was ea­ger to meet with Western Region Police Commander Andrew Holland in Forbes on Monday June 2nd to discuss the need for an enhanced police presence in the area.

Councillor Miller said that her meet­ing with newly appointed Western Region Commander Andrew Holland, to address the need for increased police presence and extended hours of operation in the Forbes community, was productive.

“I have recently had to go public because we need more police officers and longer hours to ensure the safety and security of Forbes residents, “ she said.

In response, Commander Holland out­lined a strategic plan to implement stag­gered rostering and introduce intermittent 24-hour shifts at the Forbes Police Station.

This initiative aims to provide increased po­lice coverage and improve response times to incidents.

Commander Holland emphasised the importance of encouraging local youth to consider careers in law enforcement to ad­dress the national shortage, termed a po­lice recruitment crisis.

“We are really trying to push growing our own hometown cops,” he stated.

By promoting country kids and mem­bers of the community to consider a career change to apply for the police force and encouraging them to aim for positions in regional areas, the community can benefit from officers who have a deep understand­ing of local issues and a strong commit­ment to their hometown.

Mayor Miller expressed her gratitude for Commander Holland’s proactive approach and commitment to enhancing public safe­ty in Forbes. “This collaboration marks a significant step towards ensuring that our community is well-protected and that our residents feel secure,” she said.

The Forbes community looks forward to the positive impact of these changes and remains hopeful for a safer and more se­cure environment.