City ups contribution towards Grove footpaths

THE City of Greater Geelong council has upped its contribution to funding a network of connected footpaths in Ocean Grove and will now pay almost two-thirds of the cost.

The Ocean Grove Town Centre Urban Design Framework, adopted by the council in June 2014, recommended a Principal Pedestrian Network (PPN) be developed in the area.

The city gave notice of its intention to declare a Special Charge Scheme (SCS) to deliver the PPN in March 2021.

Formal engagement on the SCS began in April, with 298 submissions received from the community, and a 1km section around the Begola Wetlands removed in response to the feedback.

At the February 22 meeting, officers recommended the city’s total contribution would cover 50 per cent of the $6.53 million project cost and the community to pay the remaining 50 per cent, but Cr Jim Mason successfully moved an amendment that the community would pay only 35 per cent (or $2,122,381.09) and the city’s contribution would increase to 65 per cent (or $4,408,162).

There are 6,357 properties in the SCS across the area informally known as “old” Ocean Grove.

The total network is now made up of 24.3km of new footpaths and shared paths, comprising 21.1km of 1.5-metre-wide concrete footpaths and 3.2km of 2.5-metre-wide concrete or gravel shared paths.

Under the SCS, each owner will pay $333.87 from the start of construction, which will be no earlier than July 2023.

“Clearly, this has been a difficult issue for all and has been going on for over 10 years, and we don’t really want this to continue; we’ve got to resolve this issue,” Cr Mason said at the meeting.

He said the latest delay was fortuitous as the amended split was in line with the council’s new Special Rates and Charges Policy, which was updated in 2021, and this should apply to other footpath works across the municipality.

“Though some people may desire council to fund the whole project, it’s patently unfair.

“It’s unfair on other ratepayers who have funded their own footpaths in the past through their own special rates and charges schemes, or through already developed and paid-for blocks.

“It’s unfair because it will create a difficult precedent and extra burden on the budget.

“And it’s unfair on others on the Bellarine – for example in Indented Head – and other wards where ratepayers have been waiting patiently for their turn, having already agreed to a Principal Pedestrian Network, and they’ll have to wait even longer.”

Cr Ron Nelson said he had “a real problem” with the SCS and the city should abandon using them, as footpaths were a core business of council.

“It’s a failure of (this) council, and a failure of previous councils, not to fund footpaths.”

Cr Nelson voted against the motion, as did Cr Kylie Grzybek and Cr Eddy Kontelj.