Borough of Queenscliffe burrows down on footpath

THE Borough of Queenscliffe is making residents’ ideas a reality, completing a footpath on Nelson Road one month after it was suggested during November’s budget consultation.

More than 300 residents took part in the budget consultation in November, including four respondents who suggested council build the new footpath.

Council engineers used existing funding to get the project under way immediately, with the footpath completed one month later in a “lightning-fast” turnaround. “Residents told us this footpath should be a priority for council, and we’ve responded by getting straight to work,” mayor Ross Ebbels said.

“I’d like to thank John, David, Noelene and Felicity for suggesting this fantastic idea.”

Two of the residents who suggested the improvement, John Hocking and David Jarman, were on hand to help Cr Ebbels open the footpath.

“I was excited to see council act on my idea so quickly,” Mr Hocking said.

“This new footpath will make Nelson Road safer for everyone, and shows that council is really listening to the ideas we put forward.”

Cr Ebbels said council’s quick action implementing the feedback from residents showed the Borough was taking community consultation seriously.

“This new footpath is the first of many improvements we’ll be making in response to resident input.

“We’re looking forward to turning more of these ideas into real projects as we put together our budget next year.”

The new footpath will make it safer for residents to access the Point Lonsdale Medical Centre, and includes bollards to separate pedestrians and traffic.

The area will also feature new native plants when the cooler planting season begins next year. The project’s delivery comes two weeks after council opened another resident-suggested project – a drinking tap at Narrows Beach.

More information about council’s budget consultation, including the range of ideas suggested by local residents, is available at queenscliffe.vic.gov.au/budget.