PELICAN residents fighting to block the construction of a boat ramp proposed for their much-loved beach say a community rally held over the weekend is only the start of their campaign.
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Rally organisers and neighbours Jenny Bergquist and Brook Ball said about 500 people attended their Saturday morning event at Pelican Foreshore Park, which was held about 100 metres from Lake Macquarie City Council’s pop-up information stall about the project.
“We were overwhelmed with the number of people who attended, we were very grateful the community got behind us,” Mrs Bergquist said. “We had people with their babies and elderly people on wheelchairs and crutches. People were very passionate – they wanted the council to know it was doing the wrong thing.”
As previously reported, a NSW Department of Industry- Lands report investigating the eroded Pelican foreshore has proposed council relocate the suburb’s boat ramp 170 metres south to nearby Bato Street, which it said was a more stable location. The existing boat ramp was shut after the Swansea Channel’s scouring effect caused structural failure and a steep drop-off.
The council said earlier this month it had set aside funding, prepared a concept design and could start building in the middle of the year. It is seeking public feedback to February 3.
Mrs Bergquist said residents wanted the council to either fix the existing ramp, or build at an alternative site, such as on the opposite side of Lake Macquarie Airport.
“People don’t want to lose their unique little family beach – there is nowhere else like it,” she said. “Generations of families have come here – we had one man come with photos from 1940 with little white tents on the beach at Christmas.
“I am doing this for my four grandchildren and their children. Once this beach is gone it is gone and can’t be replaced.”
Mrs Bergquist said she had about 2500 signatures on her petition and would be collecting more on Australia Day. “We’re hoping common sense will prevail and we will win,” she said.
“We’re not going to stop until they say that we’ve saved the beach. We’re going to fight this to the death.”
Swansea MP Yasmin Catley has said she sees “no reason” why the beach can't stay and Lake Macquarie mayor Kay Fraser has said she would prefer the beach “remain undisturbed”.