Making Parramatta River swimmable again

29 August 2018 | Council

Today City of Canada Bay Mayor Angelo Tsirekas announced a major step forward for the City of Canada Bay’s goal to make Parramatta River swimmable again, with two new sites to be included in the Parramatta River Masterplan.

“We are passionate about protecting and enhancing our rivers, open spaces and foreshores, making them more accessible for residents and visitors to the area,” City of Canada Bay Mayor Angelo Tsirekas said.

“I am pleased to announce the nomination of Bayview Park and Brays Bay to be included in the Parramatta River Masterplan.” 

“This is great news for the City of Canada Bay, however it will be a huge challenge to implement,” said Mayor Tsirekas.

“Due to ageing infrastructure and population growth through the NSW Government’s planning decisions, we will need strong commitment from the State Government to realise our goal of making Parramatta River swimmable again.”

“At our Council meeting last week, we called on Sydney Water to come to the table and help make Parramatta River swimmable by fixing their out of date hardware and runoff issues.”

This plan, part of the Parramatta River – Our Living River Initiative, will outline a strategy for making Parramatta River swimmable by 2025. “We are committed to enhancing the natural resources and biodiversity of our City for current and future generations.”

“Including these sites in the Parramatta River Masterplan connects the fantastic work the City of Canada Bay is already doing with the broader aims of the Parramatta River – Our Living River Initiative,” Mayor Tsirekas said.

In June this year, the City of Canada Bay announced that $5 million of funding from the NSW Department of Planning and Environment’s Precinct Support Scheme was secured to support foreshore development at Brays Bay.

Upgrade plans at Brays Bay in Rhodes East will provide an accessible pathway along the foreshore, including installation of new lighting and seats. Along the river, a section of seawall will be converted into viewing steps, leading from the land into the water. A new jetty will be constructed to make it easier for the community to access water activities such as kayaking, rowing and stand-up paddle boarding. 

“Activating Parramatta River will enable community members to make the most out of living and working by the river, and I call on the State Government to throw their support behind this Plan,” Mayor Tsirekas said.