Urban Services team members Sue Ramsay, Greg Ridge and Mark Noakes drilling post holes for Grinsted Oval picket fence replacement.
The iconic white picket fence has returned to South Circle and Grinsted Rugby Union Ovals in Forbes with a custom hinged drop system to minimise future floods impact.
The Urban Services team has devised a poly hinged rod at the base of the fence which can enable it to be easily flattened in flood preparation. Constructed from a durable plastic composition, the pickets and structure mostly survived the last flood which reached depths of 2.5 metres over the site.
However, in the next flood, the fence panels can be laid flat on the ground and possibly secured with pegs in times of a strong water current.
In between other flood recovery efforts and business as usual, Council’s Urban Services Crew has been removing damaged pickets and rebuilding new panel sections to rebuild the fence. Existing panels are being cleaned with finials (tops of pickets) being secured and glued. This has been a major cost (and waste) saving measure rather than just replacing the new fence entirely.
Minimal new fence panels were required to be purchased.
The newly refurbished fence is now almost complete and has the ovals returning to their former glory with a new custom flood proof inclusion.
Patrick Murphy from Forbes Shire Council Urban Services Team has been salvaging pickets and making up new panels to replace the iconic white picket fence around Grinsted and South Circle Ovals.