Footpath woes

June 20th, 2011

I am saddened that given the opportunity to ensure that a developer builds footpaths, Council continues to not mandate footpaths. Many of us grew up being pushed in our pushers to the local shops along concrete footpaths. We rode our tricycles, furiously pushed and peddled our peddle cars and wobbled our way uncertainly onto two wheels when learning to ride a bicycle. We gained the odd scabbed knee but we didn’t have to contend with cars.

My elderly father still takes a walk with his trusty canine companion, safely down the very same footpath that I grew up using. This pathway has required but one upgrade in the 50 years or so since it was built!

Why is it that in our ever faster and busier residential neighbourhoods no child will get to safely experience playing on a smooth footpath separated from the cars? Surely we should be incorporating footpaths into every new development on the Fraser Coast.

Recently I voted against the new Development Control Manual because it does not require developers to include footpaths in new developments. I tried to amend this manual but failed. I also asked Council to include footpaths in the recently approved final stages of the ‘”On The Beach’’ development at Burrum Heads to no avail.

I don’t want to walk on a road where cars and trucks whizz past. I don’t want to drive home and have to dodge young children ‘playing’ on my road. They have to use the road as there are no footpaths where I live.

So if you agree with me and want footpaths to be included in new developments now is the time to tell Council. It is never too late to ensure we build safer communities for the children of the future and for ourselves also. After all one day we will all be more frail and less inclined to want to play dodgem with the traffic!

AMENDMENT ( Brooks / – )

                   That Condition A-51 of the motion be amended as follows:

                    A – Condition 51

 Construct a minimum 1.5m wide concrete footpath and associated pram crossings be provided on one side of each internal road within the development site and Volute Way to link with the existing footpath infrastructure within Barramundi Drive.

                                                                     LAPSED FOR WANT OF A SECONDER

                                                                                                 Ord 11/669/06/11

One Response to “Footpath woes”

  1. Matt Murphyon 23 Jun 2011 at 12:33 pm

    ‘Here, Here’ I say Councillor. I actually remember when I was living in Maroubra as a kid in the late 70’s, when our street got a brand new footpath along it. It was well used by all as we had a big mix of age groups in our street. Like you wrote, young mums pushing prams, the elderly walking to the ‘Junction’ to go shopping, and us kids using it as a racetrack, when Mr Trevor’s jag wasn’t parked across it.) with our bikes.(Even using it a launch pad for fireworks on Queen’s Birthday!)

    A footpath might only be an expense, or piece of concrete, to a government body like Fraser Coast regional Council, but, personally, i think it is one of those parts of the infrastructure of a community that helps make a neighbourhood, allowing people to get out and walk more often, and safely. Also when you think about it if you are out in your yard doing a little gardening and someone walks by on the street you might generally just wave and that’s that. On the other hand if they were basically made to walk past your house only a metre or so away, you may just strike up a conversation and meet a new neighbour (something a bit lacking these days.)

    If this issue was made more public you might find a lot more supporters of the idea out there.

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