SEVERAL TWEED residents have called on the Tweed Shire Council to spare the Anchorage Island Boardwalk at Keith Curran Reserve in Tweed Heads this week.
The Weekly received several phone calls regarding the boardwalk as well as one local who dropped a copy of the (September 8) article at the office on Tuesday (pictured below), which highlighted some of what the locals think.
The Weekly contacted Tweed Shire Council for comment in relation to the boardwalk and whether it could be spared.
The boardwalk was built as part of an employment skills development project (work for the dole) in 1997.
According to a Tweed Shire Council media spokesperson the boardwalk was put to the community for comment four months ago through the yoursaytweed.com.au consultation website.
“Following that feedback, staff recommended that the boardwalk be closed. However, that is yet to be formally endorsed by the Council. While closing the boardwalk is certainly an option, staff are making enquiries into other options which may extend the life of the asset,” the media spokesperson said.
Council said the structure was closed due to concerns surrounding public safety.
“Various deficiencies were noted during a routine inspection including: failure, or imminent failure, of numerous connections between pile and headstock, minor rotting of structural timbers, subsidence and rotation of several piles
“No date has been set on when a decision might be made.”
The Weekly also asked Council about community consultation and why several residents said they were not engaged to communicate their views on the boardwalk.
“There was a Tweed Link article about the proposed closure on July 5, 2016, a media release on July 6, 2016, site signage installed on closure some months ago, requests for public comment on the yoursaytweed.com.au website four months ago and a Councillor workshop on June 9, 2016,” the spokesperson said.
YOUR SAY: Do you believe methods to save the boardwalk should be explored futher by Tweed Shire Council? Send your views to editor@theweekly.net.au