Indented Head fights for footpaths to ensure seniors’ safety

THE Indented Head Community Association is organising a petition to bolster its ongoing fight to build footpaths in the town.

The community association is calling on the City of Greater Geelong to deliver the “missing links” between existing footpaths on three streets to enable the town’s elderly residents to walk safely to the shops.

“All we want is a route to get to the shop, to do the basics… but they’ve got to get there safely,” Indented Head Community Association secretary Ingrid Novosel said.

More than 60 per cent of the population of Indented Head is over the age of 55, with a median age of 59, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Several elderly residents in the town have restricted mobility and rely on the assistance of walking aids, such as frames or motorised scooters, and flat, even surfaces to get around.

A walkability action group first identified the three streets – Grieve Avenue, Ibbotson Road and Batman Road – for a footpath loop for the community in 2017.

“We only ever wanted three [footpaths] because we know our community,” Ms Novosel said.

“We don’t have mail deliveries here, so everybody has to walk to the shop.

“We need to get these people off the road.”

Association president Alan Bowman said the need for footpaths on each of the three streets had been previously recognised by the city, with $125,000 in funding allocated to the project in the 2019/2020 budget.

The project was never delivered.

Mr Bowman said the lack of footpaths remains “a significant safety issue” and is concerned someone may get hit.

In October 2022, the city proposed the delivery of a network of 15 footpaths for Indented Head under a special rates and charges scheme.

Ms Novosel and Mr Bowman said the community association was not consulted about the proposal, which proved to be of no interests to the residents who maintain a desire for a footpath circuit at no cost to taxpayers.

“We’ve tried to pick the easiest way, the less expensive for council, because we don’t feel the residents should have to pay for it,” Ms Novosel said.

She urged to city to prioritise funding for the footpath circuit in the next budget, stating the three streets were arterial roads and no alternative pathway existed for the town’s residents.

Ms Novosel and Mr Bowman recently met with Corangamite federal member Libby Coker to discuss their concerns, and it was Ms Coker who recommended the association put together a petition to take to the city.

“I encourage the Indented Head Community Association to make their voices heard and put together a petition to raise their issues regarding safe pathways to the general store and licensed Post Office in the City of Greater Geelong,” Ms Coker said.

“As the local federal representative, I’m pleased to advocate on their behalf and to raise their concerns with the mayor, CEO and councillors.”

The community association hope to present the petition to the city in July.