MidCoast Council has developed a draft Recreational Boating Infrastructure Plan to guide Council development of Council's boating facilities till 2035.
This draft plan is on public exhibition until Sunday 5 May.
It lists 95 recreational boating facilities in our area that Council is responsible for, including their condition audit and actions for upgrades and maintenance. The plan suggests investigating the potential for nine new recreational boating facilities and the removal of three jetties that have reached their end of life as part of the action plan.
The plan covers recreational boating facilities including boat ramps, canoe slides, jetties, pontoons and wharves. Commercial boating activities and infrastructure, such as boat repair and oyster related activities are not part of this recreational boating plan.
The aim of the plan is to:
"Provide a plan that will guide Council in planning for and providing infrastructure that meets the community’s needs for boating activities."
As well as covering existing infrastructure, it is also supposed to cover the provision of new facilities.
It was developed as a recommendation from the MidCoast Open Space and Recreation Strategy 2023 – 2035 and has considered feedback from the community that was provided during this consultation.
It is intended that projects in the plan will be funded by future grants which can be applied for by both Council and community groups.
The plan contains a short list of new boating infrastructure - this includes a boat ramp for North Arm Cove outside of the village, and investigating the storage of small non-motorised boats, out of the water on reserves in an orderly fashion that enhances and protects the value of foreshore parks. This last one is also an issue for North Arm Cove, with boats and kayaks being left on our reserves, some in designated storage racks, and others left on the ground and sometimes chained to trees. Many of these boats are not used at all, some are in poor condition and can't be used, and some are in good condition and used periodically.
Provision of boating infrastructure is an important matter for North Arm Cove, and residents are urged to read the plan and put in a submission through Council's Have Your Say system.
You can access the draft plan at the following Council Have Your Say link: Draft Boating Infrastructure Plan.
