Page 1388 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 12 May 2021
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came from New South Wales. To try to distance them from ACT students is wrong, but, on the whole, I am very proud of where this Assembly sits on this matter. I think the residents of the ACT would be very proud of this Legislative Assembly for the way that we have conducted this debate, and I thank all members for the way they have contributed.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Yerrabi electorate—Yerrabi Pond
MS CASTLEY (Yerrabi) (3.47): I move:
That this Assembly:
(1) notes the Government drew up plans eight years ago for more parking to support Yerrabi Pond foreshore businesses but no extra parking has been provided;
(2) further notes:
(a) Gungahlin is Canberra’s fastest growing region and Yerrabi Pond is the only major community recreation area;
(b) Yerrabi Pond has been neglected by the Government with insufficient and inadequate community services and facilities. In some areas it is an eyesore and unsafe particularly at night;
(c) a petition with more than 1 000 signatures was lodged in April 2021 detailing the poor state of Yerrabi Pond and the urgent need for better parking, toilets and lighting as well as improved community facilities such as barbecues;
(d) there is a particular need for more parking for customer access to support struggling businesses on the foreshore;
(e) in 2013, the ACT Government did planning work for extra parking at Yerrabi Pond with up to 28 new spots in the grassed median area of Nellie Hamilton Drive. This was in response to limited parking for patrons of Curves fitness centre and other businesses;
(f) the Government also did community consultation and acknowledged it was a priority issue;
(g) eight years later, local businesses and the community are still waiting and have little confidence in the Government to heed their calls for more parking and amenities;
(h) business owners have been forced to relocate or shut due to lack of parking; and
(i) the Gungahlin Community Council listed extra parking at Nellie Hamilton Drive as a priority issue in its 2013-14 budget submission; and
(3) calls on the ACT Government to
(a) immediately explain why extra parking along Nellie Hamilton Drive planned in 2013 has not happened; and
(b) provide a timeline for when and how it will occur by no later than the last sitting day in August 2021.
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