By Brendan Rees
A 318-signature petition has been tabled at a Casey Council meeting in a bid to save Tooradin’s iconic footbridge.
Speaking at the 16 July meeting, Councillor Geoff Ablett said council was “working vigorously” to build a new bridge which has been closed since March due to safety reasons.
A major tourism drawcard, the bridge’s closure sparked upset among the community.
Cr Ablett said the footbridge was closed to pedestrians after a scheduled inspection revealed large structural beams had begun to decay.
“The bridge couldn’t be saved because it had deteriorated so poorly,” he said.
“Design work has already commenced for a replacement footbridge, and more detailed planning and design of the replacement bridge is to be undertaken during the second half of 2019.
“The safety of our residents is council’s most important priority,” Cr Ablett said.
Council will meet with the Tooradin Business Association (TBA) on the 27th of August to answer questions about the bridge as well as the town’s plan.
Cr Ablett admitted council was “probably a week late with getting out some emails to tell various groups” as to why the bridge had been closed.
“Unfortunately we could’ve communicated quicker than we did which caused some angst in the community,” he said.
“We’re working to get the bridge fixed as fast as we possibly can.
“We’ve had a great relation with Tooradin over a long period of time … we want to support the business association of Tooradin 100 per cent,” he said.
The TBA’s secretary and head petitioner Rochelle Halstead said she was pleased council had taken the petition on board but was disappointed the community would now be without a bridge for two years.
She said she hoped council would’ve taken “a bit more of an urgent approach to it rather than waiting till later in the year to find the funds.”
“Council are the ones that have the control; we just all have to fall into line and wait,” she said.
Ms Halstead said it wasn’t until the association started “rattling cages” that the council looked into the matter.
Council will write to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning and Melbourne Water requesting they examine the erosion at Sawtells Inlet.
