Tuesday 14 June 2011
VOL 4. No 24
www.bellarinetimes.com.au
Bellarine Times
FREE WEEKLY
Portarlington turned on the hospitality in a big way on the weekend for its annual National Celtic Festival. Just one of the performers to wow the huge crowds was Clancy Simpson from The Simpson Three. The festival was Clancy’s ‘farewell’ to Australian audiences as he flew overseas yesterday to further his career. For more MICHAEL CHAMBERS photos from the festival, turn to pages 4 and 11.
BEACH CALL Councillor Andy Richards leads push to form 13th Beach working group
BY DAVID FINLAYSON
BARWON HEADS 13th Beach precinct management will come under increased scrutiny if a push to form a multi-agency working group is adopted by the City of Greater Geelong council. This comes in the wake of the Barwon Coast Committee’s proposal for bike and pedestrian trails in the area, which was floated for public consultation earlier this year. The push for a working group is being spearheaded by councillor Andy Richards who has flagged his intention to move a motion for its formation at council tonight. A recent media report claimed the council and the committee were at loggerheads over the trails and the process Barwon Coast was following, but Barwon Coast general manager, Bob Jordan, denied
S u r f Forecast
there was a row. “That’s totally incorrect. There is no row between us and the council and they are not waiting for a submission (from us), so that’s 100 per cent wrong. It’s a very harmonious working relation ship with the council,” Jordan said. “We’ve met with senior management at the council seeking feedback from them on what their five or 10year works programme might be for the area. “We expect to get that in a couple of months time and we won’t make any decisions on what we intend to do with the trail strategy until we get that response.” However, Richards told the Bellarine Times council did not have a work plan for 13th Beach to provide. “We have a general principle that we would like to see the speed limit lowered. We also would like to see cycling safety improved. But there is no work plan the council has for 13th Beach Road,” he said.
“What I think we would expect to see is a planning permit application for works that Barwon Coast wants to carry out. When we see an application we will be able to make comment on other aspects of the precinct. “To that end I am putting a resolution through council to set up a 13th Beach working group with VicRoads, Barwon Coast and council so that we can have a plan for the entire area.” Richards said the working group’s precinct would include 13th Beach Road from Black Rock to the bluff, the beach area and any other vegetation on the northern side, and the area around Ewing Blyth Drive. He said the working group’s brief would include the environment, walking and cycling, recreational use and traffic management. Richards also said the working group membership could include others such as the Department of
Sustainability and Environment and local groups. Jordan said his committee would have no view on councillor Richards’ proposed working group until it received details from council. Barwon Coast had proposed walking and bike trails on the inland side from 13th Beach Surf Life Saving Club to the 33W car park, and from Stephens Parade to the 33W and 32W access points. Jordan, said his committee had received 119 submissions from the public consultation. “Just over half of those submissions were in favour of the trail,” Jordan said. “Those opposed to the trail had a wide range of reasons for that opposition. One of the more common threads was to improve road safety on 13th Beach Road as a priority first stage, rather than build a trail. “As a result our committee has taken that as the first point to be addressed.”
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