With the latest Boat ramp report said to be going before Council on Wednesday 28 June at Gloucester & the recommendation (#1) being considered is “THAT NO BOAT RAMP BE CONSTRUCTED IN THIS POSITION” means that again Council has decided that this waterfront location & in fact all of the Village area of North Arm Cove is to remain as the only waterfront location in coastal NSW without a trailer boat ramp. At least the Council is consistent having rejected all proposals for more than the last 40 years despite the fact that the need for this facility was the #1 item on the list of aspirations for many years . This WISH list is attached.
For those of us who can still remember , one of the many committees of NACRA had as its members local residents , Gerry Kilby , Barry Smith & John Blackbourn . Because of the number of ideas & particular objections & trying to please everyone , it was finally the resolve of this Committee to recommend that an area north of the village could present an opportunity for siting & construction of the much needed ramp. In fact this location then became #6 on this same list dated October 2009.
At the same Council meeting & #3 on the Councils list of alternatives , they have suggested that an alternative site to be investigated .It is therefore most interesting that after Council told us many reasons why this location was an unsatisfactory choice “ They” now are going to consider that very same location for the very same purpose . Does anyone get the feeling that again our community is being “shafted by experts” who will now take years to come up with the same old trudged up excuses as to why it cant happen . We cant get title to that land (they say), it has an oyster lease immediately in front of its location, it is too shallow so the ramp will be too long & too expensive to build, people cant reverse their vehicles & trailers the length needed to float their boats ,it is not an all tides location ,it is too close to the marine exclusion zone plus many other reasons why THEY dont want NAC to have this facility .
Of course this is continuing their dance around the Mulberry bush as the site they now suggest is a pull back position that has previously been slammed by Council as unsuitable. The bottom line is that for some unexplained reason, Council does not want to accept the Report from the Consultants they chose which cost the NSW State Gove some $60,000 to complete which bought more time so Council can burn off the local enthusiasm for this piece of Infrastructure & continue with their policy of totally ignoring the needs of the NAC community, despite the fact that the NSW Govt would eventually fund this construction from one of its specialist funds. Council also knows that the 380 electors from NAC will be totally swamped in its September election for 12 Councillors that need to poll some 5400 votes each in order to be elected . Is it any wonder why intelligent people become cynical & totally apathetic towards this chronic Council.
