THE BYRON SHIRE ECHO Advertising & news enquiries: Mullumbimby 02 6684 1777 Byron Bay 02 6685 5222 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au http://www.echo.net.au VOLUME 20 #22 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2005 22,300 copies every week $1 at newsagents only
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Sports Assoc to Look mum, no hands! sue Council over sports fields The Brunswick Valley Sports Association (BVSA) is taking Byron Shire Council to court over the issue of sportsfields in the north of the Shire. A class four action was lodged with the Land and Environment Court on October 6 to prevent Council from selling Lot 107 Shara Boulevarde, the Ocean Shores site which the BVSA want to be used as sportsfields. Back in August it appeared as if the long-running conflict over sportsfields for the north of the Shire might have been solved. Council and representatives of the community agreed that a 50 hectare site at Yelgun east could possibly provide a suitable site. Council had previously decided that the environmental value of Lot 107 was too great to use as sports fields and agreed to proceed down the track of selling the land to the RTA, who want to use the lot as ‘compensatory habitat’ for the bush destroyed by the highway construction. ‘In the investigation for the Yelgun land it has emerged that the front part of it is included in the state government’s Farmland Protection zone. The back part will be taken for the nature reserve and the community is worried that there will be nothing left,’ said Cr Jan Mangleson, who together with Cr Tom Tabart was instrumental in bringing the community to the discussion table with Council over the Yelgun land. ‘Council is choosing to see the two pieces of land as separate issues, but the com-
munity does not see it as two separate issues,’ says Cr Mangleson. She believes that the Brunswick Valley Sports Association is concerned the Yelgun site could prove to be unsuitable, by which time Lot 107 will have been sold to the RTA. Cr Tom Tabart told The Echo that the sale of Lot 107 is not dependant on the success of theYelgun site. ‘I don’t agree that Lot 107 should go off negotiations while we investigate the Yelgun land. I am surprised they have taken out the legal action and I think it is a foolish action,’ he said. ‘As far as I am concerned it is a very suitable site. We feel confident that the state government will not enforce the Farmland Protection zoning.The other constraints, such as the environmental protection areas, will not impinge unduly on the site and will anyway create an attractive environmental asset. There is still plenty of room left there for what we need for sporting facilities,’ added Cr Tabart. Council’s general manager Pamela Westing says that Council has not yet determined its position over the legal action but will be reporting to matter to the next Council meeting on November 1. In response to a claim by the Brunswick Valley Sports Association that Council has agreed to halt negotiations to sell Lot 107, Ms Westing said that Council has not given any such undertaking.
The far north coast branch of the Disabled Surfing Association held its first clinic of the season at Clarkes Beach on Saturday in almost perfect conditions. The clinic was well attended by people of all ages with disabilities, and many enthusiastic volunteers. Capturing the joyous spirit of the occasion in one great smile was 11 year old Max McAuley (pictured), who has Down syndrome, getting to his feet on a board for the first time.
For many of the participants, it is impossible to get the opportunity to experience surfing without the assistance provided by the DSA and volunteers. In what could be described as a truly symbiotic relationship, participants, volunteers and organisers gained a lot from each other by doing something as simple as spending a few hours together in the surf. Photo Jeff ‘That’s My Wave’ Dawson
Council looks at switching site of new skate park The debate over the proposed location of the Byron Bay skate park is a step closer to resolution after Council voted to evaluate a new site at Clarkes Beach instead of the original site at Butler Street Reserve at its meeting last Tuesday. The main rationale behind the proposed change is the issue of safety, especially at night, for users of the park. The Butler Street site is relatively isolated, and there were concerns within the community that young people using the park may be at risk of inappropriate behaviour or assault. The proposed Clarkes Beach site is both more accessible and more visible,
and would be adjacent to the proposed Jarjum Playground making it a more family friendly location. Elisabeth Brown, Director of Corporate and Community Services at Byron Shire Council, explained that Council had voted to ‘evaluate and raise in consultation new site options [for the skate park] as part of the plan of management for Main Beach and Clarkes Beach’. According to Ms Brown, the proposed site is likely to be in proximity to the current carpark, but will not replace it, as parking will be a major consideration in the plan of management. One of the major stum-
bling blocks to the new site proposal is the likely forfeit of a $68,000 grant obtained from the state government by Council under the Regional Sports Facilities Program. The conditions of the grant state that if the project is not commenced by March 30, 2006 and completed by June 30, 2007, the grant or remainder of the funds will be removed. ‘The grant was provided for the approved development application (DA) at the Butler Street Reserve site,’ said Ms Brown. ‘Council staff were very concerned about the possible loss of the grant, however those councillors who voted in favour of evaluating a new site felt it
was better to have the right location than to rush into the project based on availability of funding.’ Should the deadlines be met for the skate park to be built at a new location, there is a possibility that the grant money would still be available. However, Ms Brown felt it was unlikely that it could be achieved in that time frame. ‘Because of the community consultation processes involved, outcomes are always unpredictable so working within the timeframe allowed will be very difficult. However, there are future rounds of grants that can be applied for down the track,’ she said.