COMMUNITY MORNING TEA THANK-YOU

Mayor Jan Bonde hosted a morning tea on Friday 22 March at the Sulphur Creek Hall where residents of Sulphur Creek and Preservation Bay enjoyed a cuppa and an informal chat on local issues.

Some of the key points discussed were:

Footpaths – There was concern raised about the lack of footpaths along Preservation Drive and, in particular, how this creates an unsafe situation for users. In response it was explained that now that Council has control over this stretch of road it can work to improve the infrastructure. One of key projects will be the construction of the shared pathway from Penguin to Howth. This project is slated for construction over the next 18 months and the initial phase will involve public consultation on the route the pathway will take. Playground – The current playground is well appreciated by the community and is getting utilised on a regular basis. There was a request to have a shade structure installed for parents and grandparents to utilise while supervising children on the play equipment. This will be considered as part of the budget process. Free camping spots – There continues to be some issues concerning the free camping spots in the area and, in particular, issues around human waste. Council continually monitors these areas but it is difficult without a 24-hour presence. It is recognised that most people do the right thing and that they are important to the local economy. Council will be looking at a discussion paper on free camping in the next month and this will lead to some further community consultation. Dogs on beaches – There was a request for the installation of a further dog waste bag dispenser to help alleviate dog waste issues. A further bin would also assist for the disposal of used bags.   There is also an area where people are taking their dogs which is near a penguin rookery. Dogs need to be banned from this area as even if under control, their presence can cause the parents to abandon their chicks. Maintenance of roadside areas – It was asked who was responsible for the maintenance of roadside areas in townships. Council generally does not provide regular maintenance of roadside areas within township boundaries. The adjoining landowner would normally maintain these areas. If a nature-strip was not maintained, then Council would apply the same service standard applied to rural areas and slash it twice yearly.

Our thanks to all of the community members who participated.