CHAMBER CALLS FOR URGENT FUNDING ETTALONG BEACH TOWN CENTRE STREET MAINTENANCE

The Peninsula Chamber of Commerce has today called on Central Coast Council to re-invest in the Ettalong Beach town centre following a significant decline in street infrastructure and maintenance.

“A recent inspection by the Chamber of Commerce has confirmed what we already knew. Ettalong Beach town centre maintenance is at an all time low”, said Peninsula Chamber of Commerce President Matthew Wales.

“Ocean View Road is badly potholed, landscaping is in poor condition, tree guards are being lifted out of the ground, pedestrian crossings are crumbling, trees have not been pruned, the beachfront is overgrown and graffiti is epidemic”.

“What disappoints the Chamber and the business community is that Council can spend thousands of dollars on an Art Program called ‘Changing Faces’ in Ettalong Beach but can’t find the dollars to look after the street infrastructure”, said Matthew Wales.

“Whilst art and culture is important to our community, it should take a back seat to maintaining the existing footpaths and roads that are supposed to service locals and visitors alike”.

“It’s pointless for Council to commission expensive art works and produce glossy photos and advertising when visitors arriving via the Palm Beach Ferry or coming up the freeway see crumbling roads, weed infested beachfronts, grubby footpaths and graffitied buildings”, said Matthew Wales.

“Sadly, after 20 years of hard work by the Chamber and local business to create the real face of Ettalong Beach, the Council is letting this slip away through lack of maintenance and literally no prospect in the foreseeable future of new capital works”.

“We all understand Council’s budget constraints but as the Administrator has recently confirmed, the budget is now back in the black and more attention should be paid to improving town centre maintenance”, said Matthew Wales 

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Matthew Wales
0415 634 232