Water Park
sue June 5th, 2008
Some comment on the WATER PARK.
Council had to make a decision about the Water Park recently. I am still very annoyed about how painful this process has been. Hervey Bay City Council had not asked for funding for a Water Park so when $5 mil. funding was granted to Wide Bay Water for a Water Park it presented the old HBCC with some difficulties. Firstly HBCC didn’t have matching funding within the budget and secondly all sites that were earmarked as possible sites had constraints.
I personally did not want to simply give back $5mil to the State Govt but I strongly felt that for a project of this size community consultation should have happened before a final decision was made. As can be seen below I narrowly lost a motion to have community consultation but then I also decided to vote against the proposal as planned because of this lack of community input and that I don’t agree that this design in this site is the best outcome for our Water Park.
The Water Park is proposed to include fountains spurting water across the road from the Main St roundabout and takes up a 20m strip down the side of the caravan Pialba Caravan Park which will mean reduced revenue to Council. Also there is a privately leased café, The Boatshed, already in this location and that business will reap an income from the Water Park that will be lost to Council or WBW. The Water Park is basically a big flat area for younger children to play amongst water jets and includes a space for a small wave rider. Trees are expected to be retained apart from the ones in the roundabout which will all be lost.
While I think a Water Park will be a good thing to have, it will cost thousands and thousands of dollars to operate. Council has conditioned its approval by asking WBW to finance the ongoing costs from business income but I have concerns about how this will occur also especially as the opportunity to have a profitable café is compromised somewhat. Water companies are not usually in the business of running water parks so I hope that we can sort out any difficulties and make this park successful without compromising our Council/WBW budget. I personally would have preferred the Water Park be located to the far East of the Seafront Oval area closer to Tooan Tooan Creek to better fit car parking and take the pressure off the caravan park, trees and Main St roundabout.
From the Council minutes…….
ORD 10.8 Hervey Bay Water Education Park – Hervey Bay
MOVED ( Brooks / Harris )
That:
1. Council undertake a community consultation process in relation to the Water Education Park based on the preliminary proposal provided by Wide Bay Water Corporation; and
2. Council advise Wide Bay Water Corporation of the financial parameters and request that Wide Bay Water Corporation provide final design details and financial feasibility report to Council for approval.
LOST (5/6)
Upon a Division being called the following voting resulted:
FOR: Councillor Brooks
Councillor Dalgleish
Councillor MucKan
Councillor Harris
Councillor Hawes
AGAINST: Councillor McNeven
Councillor O’Connell
Councillor Nioa
Councillor Kruger
Councillor Arthur
Councillor Hovard
RESOLUTION ( McNeven / Nioa )
That:
1. The Fraser Coast Regional Council approves the location for the new Water Park site at the head of Main Street, Pialba, as per Attachment 3 of report DOC #837087.
2. Council endorses in principle the relinquishment of its tenure interests in the land identified in Attachment 3 of report DOC #837087, including an area of 20m off the end of the Pialba Caravan Park.
3. Council advise Wide Bay Water Corporation to submit appropriate building approvals.
4. Apart from the land component, Council will also provide 70 car parking spaces and an ablutions block on its own land as its capital contribution to the project. Council advise Wide Bay Water Corporation that the limit of Council’s financial contributions will be the cost of the car parks and toilet block.
5. Council request Wide Bay Water Corporation to include a commitment for the Educational Water Park in the Statement of Corporate Intent that demonstrates the intentions for the facility to be cost neutral without impacting on any short-term or long-term dividends to the Council.
6. The Commercial activities proposed for the site be subject to agreement between Council and Wide Bay Water Corporation with the joint intention of making a successful and appropriate venture for the region.
7. Council request Wide Bay Water Corporation to place information on the project in prominent public places, such as the libraries and Council foyers, and the information be disseminated widely through the media, especially the print media in the region, giving full details of the proposal including the draft designs.
Carried (10/1)
Upon a Division being called the following voting resulted:
FOR: Councillor McNeven
Councillor Dalgleish
Councillor MucKan
Councillor Harris
Councillor Hawes
Councillor O’Connell
Councillor Nioa
Councillor Kruger
Councillor Arthur
Councillor Hovard
AGAINST: Councillor Brooks
- Water Park
- Comments(7)
Waterpark? Don’t we often have water restrictions? Don’t we have a massive amount of water on our doorstep? Any thoughts on having the Main Street round-about clear felled? Or on putting water on traffic going around the round-about (through wind factors and/or flawed jets), thus increasing chances of accidents? Has anybody figured out traffic flow (or what to do about traffic jams, considering the location)?
Sorry, I think the design and the location, and even the whole idea is a waste of rate payers money. Have we already addressed all our necessities? Who is it for, and who wants it? I think it should have had community consultation.
Maybe the public are behind the waterpark because they cannot see enough of the bay through the rat infested foreshore foliage.
If natural water views and improved facilities were available maybe the waterpark would not be necessary.
The current design no-longer includes a tilting bucket for the kids, it’s major focus seems to be more educational PR for the all powerful water corporation.
Can someone (Sue) please tell me whether the Council runs WBWC or WBWC runs the council.
The tail seems to be wagging the dog.
Hi B. Frank. WBWC runs itself according to the parameters set down as per the Statement of Corporate Intent which is where Council sets down its expectations and requirements of WBWC. This is soon to be decided on for the next 12 months and is a public document.
I personally am wanting more detailed reporting to Council from WBWC but yet again the LGA actually demands that Quarterly Reports (to Council from WBWC), are received in confidential so are not open to public scrutiny.
I don’t necessarily agree that foreshore views or lack of them, are why some people are behind the water park, but do agree that forshore vegetation and its management is an issuse that needs further debate.
By the way how does one obtain ‘natural water views’? I hope you mean that we can obtain these by planting ground covers rather than taller bushes and that some replacement tree planting is supported. I can’t help but defend our naturally vegetated foreshore as I think it is unique and to be treasured although I do agree that some areas of the foreshore could do with better weed control.
I personally can’t fathom why a water park would even be considered when we live in such a fantastic area with a beautiful foreshore and swimming beach. What a waste of money especially when all we hear about are water restrictions and the building of dams.
I think money would be far better spent on a convention centre to bring culture and professional entertainment to Hervey Bay!!!
Sue,
I know the decision has been made re: the water park.
However, no one I have spoken to supports the project.
Too little information, no consultation and worries about
ongoing costs to ratepayers. This will be another Brolga,
an Albatross around ratepayers necks.
This will benefit one group and one group only, if they are
lucky. It may not even benefit them and that’s the tourist
industry. If they wanted it? They should have payed for it.
Dear Sue Brooks,
Thank you for being the one councillor who placed the natural beauty of the esplanade above a Disneyland gimcrack gimmick.
I am deeply depressed to know that what remains of our lovely coastline is in the hands of people who fail to appreciate it. It is the unspoiled beauty of the coast which brings tourists from all around the world. They can see funparks at home. Places like Hervey Bay are becoming rarer and rarer. That is what lures tourists, including Australian city people. I know. I was one of them.
I consider the choice of a Water Park, situated beside the beauty of the sea with its fringe of mature trees, to be crass and vulgar and sixth rate.
When I consider what the money might have done for Hervey Bay I could weep.
Janet Kenny
I’m with you B.Frank - the waterpark is just more smoke and mirrors and now Sue tells us that the local government act actually prevents us from ensuring a ratepayer funded entity is held accountable.. very sad indeed!