New delay for Battery Point walk

THE future of a Battery Point walkway has been thrown into doubt after the Hobart City Council decided to use the funding for other major projects.

It is now unclear whether the walkway, which would link the Battery Point slipway and Marieville Esplanade, will get off the ground during the next decade.

The council said extra funding was needed for the $3.3 million Brooker Bridge, which would link Bathurst St to the Queens Domain, and the Tasman Highway pedestrian bridge ($1.6 million of $3 million).

The council’s special joint infrastructure committee last night agreed to review the financial viability of the Battery Point walkway each year from 2019-20, after approving its 2018-19 capital works program and 10-year plan.

The $6.3 million first stage of the Battery Point walkway was initially placed outside the 10-year horizon, with a sugges- tion to allocate $500,000 for scoping and design approvals in the 2024-25 capital works program.

But Alderman Anna Reynolds said the committee agreed to bring forward the proposed $500,000 for review each year, starting from 2019-20.

“There were a number of us who weren’t happy that the timeline was pushed out for that [$500,000],” Ald Reynolds said.

“That [amendment] was so we could potentially go to the state or federal governments or the university.”

Ald Reynolds and Acting Lord Mayor Ron Christie said the walkway was pushed back because other major projects needed the funding.

Ald Christie said a re-costing of the Battery Point walkway was needed because it could have blown out to $20 million.

“There will be a review of it each year ... as the circumstances change each year,” he said.

The walkway was first proposed in March 2002 with the first stage approved in October 2014 before residents successfully appealed against the plan.

Projects removed from the capital works program last night included $2.1 million towards the $7 million CBD to Sullivans Cove pedestrian tunnel. The council said the project could be included in a City Deal or have $2 million allocated between 2022 and 2024.

The council also pushed a $1.3 million refurbishment of City Hall back to 2023-24, while other plans not on the 10year horizon included tourist oriented trams ($3-$5 million) and the Springs visitor centre on Mt Wellington ($5 million).