Locals and visitors to Forster’s CBD are encouraged to have their say on how the iconic Memorial Drive foreshore area will be upgraded, through an online survey closing next Wednesday, September 7.
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The team at MidCoast Council has developed two design options for upgrading the section of Memorial Drive between Little Street car park and Blows Lane.
The upgrade work will extend the pathway/cycleway through to Tuncurry.
However, this works involves forfeiting some of the current car parking – how much or how little is currently under review, and will be based on community preference as identified through consultation and the online survey.
MidCoast Council (Great Lakes) design and investigation manager, Kumar Kuruppu, has been pleased with the community response to date.
“By speaking with businesses in the area, their customers and users of the foreshore area, we’ve seen terrific engagement in this project”, he said.
“To date, over 700 people have provided feedback which gives us a very solid platform for our decision-making process”.
The two design options provide varying degrees of green space along the foreshore area.
Plan A retains most of the current car-parking along Memorial Drive, with a small amount of additional green space.
The alternative, Plan B, provides a greater grassed area allowing waterside seating and shade trees, but means around 20 car-parking spaces will be lost.
“Both options have been designed to improve the foreshore but finding the right balance between the convenience of on-the-spot parking, and recreational space is the question.
“Early indications suggest a preference for parking, however there’s still a way to go before we collate everyone’s input”
The online survey takes just a few minutes to complete, and gives respondents the chance to have their say regarding the two upgrade options, along with their views on current car-parking in the area and time restrictions that are in place.
For those who are yet to get involved, it’s not too late to weigh-in on the debate. Visit www.midcoast.nsw.gov.au/memorialdrive to review the two options and take the survey before it closes on Wednesday, September 7.