Westport Park is being put back in the hands of the community.
The pledge was made by Premier Barry O’Farrell, Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner, Minister for Primary Industries Katrina Hodgkinson and Member for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams, at Westport Park on Monday.
The MPs, here with a Ministerial convoy to address the people of Port Macquarie at a community forum, said the Park in Port Macquarie will be dedicated as a public recreation reserve.
Port Macquarie Hastings Foreshore Protection Association President Jaci Cartwright congrat-ulated Local Member Leslie Williams for following through on her pre-election promise to see the Park (Reserve 54279) dedicated so that it will remain as public open space into the future and “cannot be blithely earmarked by Lands Department officials for commercial development and lease”.
“Although we are thankful, we will be feeling much better when we see that page in the Government Gazette with the dedication, signed by the Governor General, stating that the dedication of Reserve 54279 has been finalised,” Mrs Cartwright said
“The Association has been working since 2006 for this to occur and our executive and membership are thrilled to see that all that hard work has come to fruition.”
As well, Mrs Cartwright said, the Premier and Mrs Williams indicated that a member of the Foreshore Association will be appointed to the reconstituted Foreshore Lands Advisory Group.
“As we understand it, the FLAG group, together with Port Macquarie Hastings Council and the State Government, are to work on the finalisation of the Plan of Management that started with the local community during the tenure of Administrator Dick Person,” said Mrs Cartwright.
“We look forward to this task, as our group, although initially formed in response to the alienation of Westport Park from public reserve, is concerned with the whole of the Port Macquarie Foreshore.
“The plan we worked on together with other community members and groups covered the area from Settlement Point to Town Beach. We are keen to see that all of the public open space and reserve remains just that.
“Port Macquarie is blessed to have such a unique foreshore area and we must all be vigilant to ensure its preservation for future generations.”
“To guarantee that it remains as an open space for the use of the public, we have directed that Crown Lands administrators ensure it is now given the highest level of protection by dedication under the Crown Lands Act 1989,” Mr O’Farrell said.
“The community clearly regards Westport Park as a prized area of land within the Port Macquarie city area – there were overwhelming community requests for this change,” Mrs Williams said.
The NSW Government said it is most appropriate for the Port Macquarie Hastings Council to remain as trustee of the reserve.
The draft plan of management will be made available to the community of Port Macquarie for comment and feedback, once finalised.
“When the consultation is completed and the plan is finally adjusted to reflect community feedback, the plan can be formally adopted and it will become the statutory framework that will bind the future management and operations of Westport Park,” Ms Hodgkinson said.
Story: Kate Yates
