(read by Owen Cartledge Good Morning Mayor, Councillors, General Manager, Staff, Gallery and those comfortable Live Streaming at home.
Due to unforeseen circumstances I am unable to attend today meeting Tuesday 27th February 2018.
I wish to address Item No. CAR 18/010 –Recreation and Open Space Strategy 2018 – Firstly I would like to address yet again another ERROR that appears on Page 88 of this document under Ownership of Albert Ryan Park is stated in this document that Ownership of the land is “Crown Reserve Under Council Control” – this in incorrect this land is owned by the Roads and Maritime Services. In 2016 the group Save Albert Ryan Park went to great lengths to prove to Council the ownership of this land and yet again it appears that Council has made another ERROR in this ROSS document.
In relation to Action No. N14 Page 11 of this report it states “Consult with the community about future design, layout and maintenance of Albert Ryan Park and Rotary Park Batemans Bay”, whilst the original group Save Albert Ryan Park and Eurobodalla Concerned Citizen are pleased to see that Council appears to have acknowledge that “future action” will apply to Albert Ryan Park this action is listed in the priority section as only MEDIUM.
In the previous ROSS report there was a figure of $30,000.00 allocated to Rotary Park and there were no funds allocated to Albert Ryan Park and yet in this report both Albert Ryan Park and Rotary Park are listed together in action N14 does this mean that those funds previously allocated to Rotary Park will be distributed evenly between these two parks? Will Albert Ryan Park receive any funding and what will the works be that will be carried out at Albert Ryan Park and Rotary Park?
This land known as Albert Ryan Park is situated in a prime position on Beach Road and during the recent holiday period this area of land and the toilets were in high demand. Albert Ryan Park deserves a “make over” and state of the art toilets that this shire can be proud of to provide a facility for locals and all tourists that visit our shire.
Tourism is the generator that drives this shire and toilets play a much needed factor in all of our lives. State of the art toilets that provide disabled access and disable toilets which can be advertised in the many traveller magazine will create conversation amongst many grey nomads, travellers and disable people, especially given the level flat land which provides easy access to the toilets for the disabled I therefore ask this Council to review Albert Ryan Park to be upgraded to HIGH PRIORITY.
Councillors , there were over 554,344 Registered Caravans in Australia in 2016, at the end of June 2017 there were 11.58 Million Caravan and Camper in overnight trips ,there has been a noticeable amount of Caravans, 5th Wheelers and Motor Homes staying overnight in the car park at the Bowling Club, Eurobodalla needs to embrace this form of Tourism and this could be encouraged by having Disabled Toilets and a Dump Point placed at Albert Ryan Park, with the many Camps Books available that advertise these facilities it will place Albert Ryan Park in the Eurobodalla, in every Caravan, 5th Wheeler and Mobile Home travelling around Australia.
Currently there is speculation in the community as to the usage of Rotary Park and the possibility of the reinstatement of the Helipad in this area. I have witnessed surveyors in this area and the road access being measured on a few occasions. Can Council please identify the usage, future design, planned maintenance and ownership of Rotary Park as I believe that Council needs to keep the community informed as to what is actually happening in this area especially given that Rotary Park is in this ROSS report and I have been told by a staff person in Council that Rotary Park Batemans Bay no longer exists. There has been a suggestion that a playground area maybe erected at this park yet there is Corrigan’s Playground area within kilometres of Rotary Park. Can Council please clarify if indeed a Playground area with be placed at Rotary Park.
I note a statement has been made in N14 page 11 of the ROSS report “Consult with the community in relation to Albert Ryan Park and Rotary Park” the facts are ALL the community should be given an opportunity to be consulted and not just a group of “handpicked individuals or groups” by this Council.
Thank you Patricia Hellier – For and on behalf of the original group Save Albert Ryan Park and Eurobodalla Concerns Citizens. Thank you to Owen Cartledge
Addition: IS THERE A DR. IN THE HOUSE- For all those regular attendees at ESC Council meeting yesterday you may have noticed the absence of a "couple of the usual suspects". One being the "little Terrier from Dalmeny" Pete Bernard, Pete is recovering in hospital after an operation but never fear Pete has told me that he will be back in the near future and he is currently keeping hospital staff on their toes.
Thanks to Owen for doing my presentation at the Council meeting on Tuesday, the care of people is far more important than a presentation in Council. Speedie recovery Pete Cheers Trish H.
