Bass Coast Council 'yes' to Surf Parade one-way option but...

THE Bass Coast Shire Council has just voted on the fate of Inverloch’s shared pathway.

And they’ve voted to go ahead with the one-way option for Surf Parade in order to get the final stage of the pathway, between Ozone Street and Goroke Street (surf lifesaving club), finished.

But, and it’s a big but… if the community comes out strongly against the one-way option for Surf Parade, during a new community consultation process, the project might still be stopped.

Cr Brett Tessari, who told council that the shared pathway had been an issue long before he came to council, received a guarantee from the shire’s administration, that if strong opposition could be demonstrated, the final stage of the pathway would be abandoned, and the State Government grant funds lost.

The shire has confirmed that about $1 million in State Government grant finding would be at risk of being resumed by the government if the final stage of the path doesn't go ahead.

Several councillors, including Cr Meg Edwards who attended the meeting by video link, had their say on the Surf Parade Shared Pathway project, with Cr Edwards urging councillors to wait until after the next State Election, with the prospect that the Coalition might win and make good on a promise to introduce permanent protection for the Inverloch foreshore.

Cr Edwards said she believed it was an indication of DEECA’s own lack of confidence in their foreshore protection works that they were refusing to accommodate the shared pathway, while retaining parking and a continuation of a two-way section of Surf Parade.

More to follow…