One man’s bold bid to transform city beach
A CAFE, bathers pavilion, amphitheatre and food vans are some of the suggestions put forward by a Clarence alderman for one of the eastern shore’s most popular recreation spots.
Clarence City Council Alderman Dean Ewington has submitted a notice of motion to be considered at a meeting on Monday, which could see the transformation of the Bellerive Beach area. Ald Ewington has called for the council to review its master plan for the area to consider the addition of a bathers pavilion and other associated amenities, such as a cafe or restaurant, a public beach promenade, modern public toilets and showers and an equipment hire facility.
He said the review should also consider options for funding that included private-public partnerships, as well as any other funding options that may be available. Ald Ewington said the council had a responsibility to develop policies that helped improve the health and wellbeing of the community.
“Bellerive Beach is our highest-use regional park and most iconic location in proximity to major sporting and recreational infrastructure such as the beach itself, the playground, Bellerive Oval and the iconic coastal trail,” he said.
“Activities such as the children’s triathlon, the weekly park run, regular water craft users, ocean swimmers and walkers, joggers and cyclists have very limited public amenities, except for an old toilet block that is in desperate need of replacing, and very limited barbecue infrastructure.
“This gap needs to be addressed for this area to be used to its full potential, and will provide the city with an iconic location to help the whole community adopt a healthy, active and socially connected lifestyle.”
Ald Ewington has also called for a separate report to consider a policy to allow food vans to operate along the Clarence foreshore track, parks and other suitable recreational areas. “The coronavirus has obviously thrown our world into a spin, but we still need to look at projects that can attract funding from other levels of government as well as keep our council workforce going,” he said.