Warrnambool City Council has been damned for failing to redevelop the harbour over decades and now it seems damned for doing something.
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Early next month councillors are expected to vote on their preferred option for making boat launching safer in Lady Bay.
The options were devised by two community-based groups after a series of discussions. The first is improve the existing ramp, the second is to add two small seawalls to semi-enclose the bay while the third, the most expensive, is to enclose the harbour with two larger man-made structures.
The information from the technical reference group clearly stated each of the options had positives and negatives. The council called for public input, asking residents to nominate their preference.
The people voted. Almost 700 submissions were lodged. But the city council has sat on the results for several months despite requests from The Standard for them to be released. Why? Failing to keep the public informed on such a critical issue is a mistake. It was inevitable the results would be leaked and official decisions pre-empted.
This week Cr Brian Kelson went on the front foot declaring there was overwhelming public support for the fully enclosed option.
It is understood a majority of councillors and city officials are leaning toward the first option, which they argue could be the first step towards a bigger, more expensive project. Sounds responsible.
But that has been interpreted by supporters of the enclosed option as ignoring the community’s view. The response of almost 700, while large in a generally apathetic city, was hardly representative.
It would be easy for councillors to look at the results and just adopt the majority view. But they have a broader responsibility to all residents and should not burden ratepayers with financial and environmental burdens for decades at the expense of other important projects.
Councillors should have concerns about what impacts changing the existing wave patterns will have. They don’t have crystal balls but the last thing we want is our children saying ‘it seemed like a good idea at the time’. Making the harbour safer is a priority but it’s a complex issue that deserves a considered solution, not a quick fix. It’s a balancing act.