[Forum] It has come to my attention that the dump at Central Mangrove has a lot of skeletons and misunderstanding in its history.
The folk on the Mountain were genuinely concerned about their water quality and their need to play golf as early as 2012.
Our attempts were never responded to at the time and look what we have now.
On August 5, 2012, I wrote the following to Hunt and Hunt, representing Verde Terra, as well as Gosford Council, and the Manager and Directors of the Mangrove Mountain Memorial Golf Club:
“After the shock revelations of 150 trucks for 10 to 40 years, the golf course will use 98.8 acres, the lot, there were so many mistakes in calculations in the past.
“The only piece of hope for the community majority is to talk to the club, even though they stood and walked out when invited to come out and talk or answer queries.
“It is very clear that at this point, the majority of the Mountain community have been rolled and not even considered.
“That land was donated for community recreation and not just one interest, not a
business venture either.
“Here is a suggestion for a decent compromise. “1. Lower all the levels now, so there is less waste/fill needed, fewer trucks and less time to complete the golf course.
“We have another course at Peats Ridge and another passed at Somersby. “This covers any age or terrain issues, as the Somersby site is very flat.
“This one could be a bit challenging and different. “2. Take the remains of the Country Club premises off the market at once.
“Pass the deed to the community, with local trustee management, then we can
get grants and set up all the things the community needs and values.
“Even the golfers need more than a golf course. “The value of the country club is a drop in the ocean compared to the figures we heard on Thursday.
“Most of us consider that this is the least that can be done to compensate for what has been done to our local community, not once, but twice, by the Memorial Club establishment.
“What’s more, we don’t want to see that 98.9 acres sold, given, leased or mortgaged at all.
“It is for us all, owned by us all, now and forever. “I do hope someone has some on science and sense of a fair go for all and takes these suggestions seriously, that way, we could have our general and community facilities.
“The golf course, mostly for visitors, would be finished in a short period of time, and we, the community, wouldn’t get
more waste dumped there or even more trucks to cope with. “All the problems now and in the future could have been avoided if proper communication and respect had been forthcoming initially,” the ignored letter concluded.
Letter, May 22
Margaret Pontifex, Mangrove
Mountain