MORE than two dozen people gathered outside the Town Hall at Queen Victoria Square last week to protest the Lake Wendouree lighting project.<\/p>\n
The rally was organised by members of the Get Our Lake Wendouree Lighting Right group.<\/p>\n
Convener Scott Gallop said the event was an opportunity to discuss the results of a recent survey they led, gauging community feedback on the lighting.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re here to let council know again that we need to compromise and come to a better, environmentally-friendly style of lighting,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The more-than $3 million project will see 225 light poles at 5.5 metres high installed around the lake\u2019s Steve Moneghetti track, and seven light poles along Morrison Street, linking to Victoria Park.<\/p>\n
With works set to begin in mid-October, Mr Gallop offered what he said is a more environmentally-sound alternative with in-ground cross-path lighting.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just a small cap light that sits on the ground and sprays out a ray of light. Other councils are using them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe holes don\u2019t have to be two metres deep like the post holes, and it\u2019s low voltage, so it doesn\u2019t have to be one-metre-deep tunnelling and trenching. There\u2019s a lot of [advantages] to using it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nearly 1700 people responded to the month-long survey, of which 481 were in support of the lighting while almost 600 were opposed.<\/p>\n
More than 530 people said they approved environmentally-conscious lighting and a remaining 72 responders gave alternative feedback.<\/p>\n
The City of Ballarat conducted a survey in 2017 to gauge community interest in the lighting, through which the project was identified as a top priority in the Lake Wendouree masterplan.<\/p>\n
Peter Chapman, who attended the gathering and responded against the lighting in the survey, said the municipality\u2019s survey was unclear on what the approach to the project would look like.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe issue was about lighting around the lake but it wasn\u2019t about what type of lighting,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe most recent survey reflects the survey done five years ago. It\u2019s now five years down the track. We\u2019re more conclusive. We\u2019ve got more information as to the type of lighting.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo me it seems illogical that you could put towering poles 25 metres apart around such a place of environmental beauty.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MORE than two dozen people gathered outside the Town Hall at Queen Victoria Square last week to protest the Lake Wendouree lighting project. The rally was organised by members of the Get Our Lake Wendouree Lighting Right group. Convener Scott Gallop said the event was an opportunity to discuss the results of a recent survey […]<\/p>\n