Central Coast Council has been urged to apply for NSW Government funding to reinstate stairs at the Blue Lagoon Reserve which it removed in early September.
Member for The Entrance David Mehan has written to Council CEO David Farmer advising him the Government had opened applications for $16M in funding to make improvements to Crown Land reserves.
Applications close on November 17.
“I’d be disappointed if Council did not take the opportunity provided by this funding to see the steps returned sooner rather than later,” Mehan said.
Residents behind the Save Our Stairs committee formed to lobby Council to reinstate the stairs at the reserve, located between Blue Lagoon Beach Resort and Shelly Beach, remain hopeful that Council will look at rebuilding the stairs, removed because they were deemed unsafe.
Just weeks later, Council also boarded up another set of stairs that were used to access the reserve from the beach, again due to their unsafe condition.
While all public access has been denied, residents can access the reserve through the Blue Lagoon Beach Resort between 8am and 5pm.
A petition calling on Council to reinstate the stairs and launched by the Save Our Stairs committee has attracted more than 1,600 signatures.
More than 200 people gathered at the reserve on Sunday afternoon where they formed a large heart for drone photos.
“The heart was to show how much the community loves this reserve,” organiser Judy Townsend said.
“I was hoping to get maybe 50 people.
“I looked up at the gate and saw a massive line of people walking into the reserve.
“The reaction was so heartfelt.
“It was a beautiful afternoon; people were hugging each other.
“Everyone there was saying we’ve got to win this thing.
“We still hold out hope.”
A site meeting will be held next week between Mehan and representatives from Central Coast Council, Blue Lagoon Beach Resort, Save Our Stairs, and Landcare.
“Council has openly said this reserve is not the only Crown Land on the Central Coast, but it is the only inaccessible Crown Land on the Central Coast,” Townsend said.
Denice Barnes
Oh my goodness people I would be thanking the Council for removing them as they were UNSAFE and UNSAFE stairs mean someone could get injured or even worse.
So I would personally like to Thank the Council for removing the stairs.
And you should be grateful that someone had made the time and effort to remove them before someone got hurt.
Has anyone asked the question why the stairs were unsafe?
It was due to vandalism !