Kingscliff car park upgrades will enhance resilience

TWEED Shire Council is urging residents to provide feedback on the Council’s concept plans for car parks at Cudgen Foreshore Park and Ed Parker Rotary Park in Kingscliff.

Council staff will meet with the community at Cudgen Foreshore Park in Kingscliff on Saturday, August 10, from 9am to 11am to provide information and answer questions.

Both parks are located along Sutherland Street and provide important access to viewing and enjoying Cudgen Creek. The works are designed to enhance the parks’ recreation and aesthetic qualities, provide designated parking areas, and improve traffic flow.

The upgrades will cost $1.02 million and are part of a $15.5 million funding package from the federal and NSW governments to help restore and improve community assets damaged by storm or flood.

The proposal for the car park at Cudgen Foreshore Park includes asphalting the internal road and creating parking spaces, installing rocks and bollards, new connecting pathways, upgrading the picnic facilities and minor drainage improvements.

At Ed Parker Rotary Park, the car park will be redesigned by removing the turning circle and asphalting the parking spaces and internal road to a cul-de-sac at the northern end.

Council’s Parks and Active Communities Manager Murray Smith said asphalting the car parks would provide a smoother, more durable surface to reduce dust and mud, enhance drainage, and offer safer parking.

“Council has faced ongoing issues with hooning behaviour, which has led to significant environmental damage and safety concerns,” he said.

“Reckless driving has destroyed vegetation and wildlife habitats, causing extensive damage to turf areas and noise negatively impacting surrounding residents.”

“The impact of these activities necessitates the exclusion of vehicles in some areas during rehabilitation. We will incorporate bollards, a mix of trees, mounded shrubs, plantings, and rocks to exclude vehicles. Over time, the trees will grow strong enough to serve as natural barriers,” Smith said.

Under the same funding program, Sutherland Point Park and Robert Dixon Park will undergo minor enhancements pending approvals. These include a new accessible picnic table, barbecue, and shelter with lighting, a new drinking fountain and beach shower, a connecting path, and native tree planting.

The draft concept plans will be on public exhibition until 4 pm on August 26 at yoursaytweed.com.au/cudgenforeshoreandedparkerparks