Minister Wingard has listened to the Forestville Community. As a result, he has put the Mike Turtur Bikeway Overpass on hold.
Putting the Mike Turtur Bikeway Overpass on hold will permit a review of the project. It will also permit a wider and more consultative consultation. One, therefore, that includes the local residents.
This was the news that greeted a passionate crowd of some 150 to 200 people that attended a public meeting at Forestville Reserve. A group of people who are passionate about their local park also heard from candidates for the seats of Badcoe & Unley. The candidates all confirmed that they agree with putting the project on hold. They all want the project reviewed and a new more comprehensive consultation.
In my opinion, whoever forms Government will abide by the pledge.
DIT putting the project on hold means they can withdraw their current application with SCAP. It means Council’s legislative requirement to consider a licence to construct on our land also be put on hold. There is no point in Council completing that process unless there is a known and approved project to prompt consideration.
As discussed in my previous blogs, the Department putting the project on hold would not have been needed had they consulted better. with the community.
They do not have a good track record with consultation on projects within the City of Unley. Regular readers of this blog site would be aware of that.
The exception, that said (as I have written before), is the North-South Corridor project.
I trust that all said, that the Department will include the community in on its research into other options. Options previously considered and new options that become apparent as a result of the consultation.
Our community is an educated community. They will respond better to the Department’s preferred option if included in the analysis of other options. To the point hopefully of agreeing on what ultimately will prove to be “the” option.