The following Questions on Notice of Eurobodalla Council staff from Councillor Anthony Mayne:
Question 1. What is the proposed future for the current boat ramp located on the south west of the new bridge in Batemans Bay, on Clyde Street?
The Council response was long winded but came down to:
"The draft Plan recommends the removal of the Clyde Street boat ramp and trailer parking to prioritise pedestrians and promote activation in Batemans Bay"
offering instead
"Investigating the feasibility of upgrading the Old Punt Road boat ramp and to provide pontoon and/or jetty facilities to allow improved access to the Clyde River."
2. What consultation has been undertaken with the key user groups, including the oyster farmers and the Batemans Bay Boaters Association?
"Extensive stakeholder engagement has been undertaken throughout the development of the draft Plan, including Councillor briefings. Regular updates and feedback were also sought from Council’s Advisory Committees and Council’s website updated regularly"
While Council says "So far during the public exhibition period we have received submissions and/or corresponded with representatives of boaters, fishers and oyster farmers." the fact remains that Council DID NOT advise any of those parties that they intended to remove the boatramp."
NOTE: This is very much on a par with the claimed community consultation and letters of endorsement garnered by Council for the upgrade of the Batemans Bay pool that actually failed to mention their intent to downsize the pool from 50m to 25m.
3. Has Council previously provided assurances in 2018 that the Clyde St boat ramp would be retained? If so, what has subsequently changed resulting in the potential closure of this boat ramp?
At the Ordinary meeting of Council held on 12 December 2017 (Minute 17/406), Council resolved to send a submission to the proposed then Roads and Maritime Services Batemans Bay bridge replacement project.
Council’s submission stated that: “Council wishes to retain the local boat ramp on the southern side of the Clyde River as it provides an important access point to the Clyde River.
The changed traffic arrangements proposed by the RMS will require car and boat trailer combinations to travel through the CBD area. The number of traffic movements is readily managed on the local streets. The left turn off-ramp northbound from the Princes Highway as proposed by Council is a preferable outcome.”
TfNSW Batemans Bay Bridge Replacement has committed to retaining the Clyde Street (increasing from 13 to 14 boat trailer spaces) and Old punt Road boat ramps as part of that project however access to Smoke point via a left turn off-ramp northbound from the Princes Highway has not been provided. Nevertheless, the traffic movements associated with the Clyde Street boat ramp are readily and safely able to be accommodated within North and Clyde Streets.
“Council acknowledges the inclusion of the existing boat ramp facilities in Clyde Street west and Old Punt Road consistent with Council’s previous submissions on the Batemans Bay bridge.” Since 2018 Council gained a better understanding of how the Batemans Bay waterfront is being used and the vision our community has for it.
Feedback from the TfNSW Batemans Bay Bridge Replacement Foreshore Advisory Committee further highlighted the growing support and need for a vision for the Batemans Bay waterfront and CBD.
Council engaged expert placemakers, and tourism destination planning and urban design specialists to guide the process and to ensure best practice principles for planning and placemaking were supported in the draft Plan. The boat ramp was seen by some as creating a barrier to an otherwise strong, attractive, safe and activated waterfront.
The Council response continues:
"Community feedback and best practice planning principles also support less traffic being directed down Clyde Street when the new bridge is completed. The traffic volumes in Clyde Street will be substantially less than occurs now due to the removal of the connection at the Princes Highway and Clyde Street intersection. The draft Plan therefore proposes to implement measures to reduce traffic speed, improve parking arrangements, raise pedestrian crossing points, remove barriers to pedestrian access, upgrade lighting and a minor extension of shared pathways on Clyde Street west."
4. Notwithstanding the building and related safety risks of the Bay bridge, can the current Clyde Street boat ramp be maintained for future use post the bridge build?
Council Response: Feedback from the wider community supports removing the boat ramp to make it safer, pedestrian focused and better connected, reduce traffic on Clyde Street and to increase the area available for play spaces.
