Batemans Bay Foreshore - Ideas -- Whose ideas?

Council has denied the Boaters Association a site on the foreshore this weekend where they hope to promote ideas and event to activate the area.

The Association was actively involved in the Bridge Replacement Foreshore Committee and realised that many of the good ideas put forward during that process were going nowhere.

We wrote a document “A Game Changer for the Bay CBD” see here where we proposed floating pontoons parallel to the CBD and many water based activities to energise this great venue. This document was widely distributed to the Local Member, Hon Andrew Constance, the Shire and others. It was presented at a “Town Hall” meeting back in July of this year. The document reached the Shire’s consultants Inspiring Places who were employed to come up with a plan for the foreshore and how it could be a nucleus for activities and functions to stimulate the area. All contained in the Associations document.

The one-on-one discussions with the consultants was fruitful and insightful. They have experience in Tasmania and some great ideas BUT their brief had been limited by the inevitable vested interests along the foreshore.

The Association requested a meeting with Inspiring Place prior to this week-ends display of their recommendation so that we would not be in conflict with their ideas. This was denied by the Council employee.

The Association requested a stand on the foreshore during this week-end along with other Associations and business . This was denied because our desire to promote boating on the Clyde, the installation of floating pontoons and ideas for the CBD “does not align with their (Councils) purpose.”

One can only ask why is Council shutting out ideas and an Associations wishing to promote the Bay?

Furthermore in the current State of Emergency ahead of catastrophic fire warnings the Mayor can not find time to meet with the Association to brief her on the potential fire and safety dangers within the local Batemans Bay marina. The Department of Land alleges that the Fire Safety Equipment and certificates are non-compliant – a fact we have been raising for more than three years.

Is this just another attempt to stifle information and the Association’s attempt to make the waterfront a safe and vibrant place?