Many of you are aware that the ACT government is considering urban development of about 190 hectares, including close to 90 hectares of river corridor and nature reserve, between the Tuggerenong Town Centre and the Murrumbidgee River, prematurely named Thompson.
The results of Have-Your-Say community consultation (2,000 respondents), however, revealed that overwhelmingly the community expressed strong opposition to any development that compromised the environmental and recreational the values of the river corridor. Any support for development related to a need to do something to revitalise Tuggeranong, in particular the Town Centre. The Vikings Club have also expressed a desire to build a 2,000 seat stadium “somewhere along the unutilised land at western Greenway” (ABC News 26 May 2016).
The government has gone back to the drawing board and, in the spirit of consulting with people until they give you the answer you want, have established a Western Greenway community panel to be headed by environmental expert David Shorthouse from the ANU with the aim “to see whether a viable, sustainable and equitable development is possible at the site” (Canberra Times 1 July 6).
The panel will “guide the broader community engagement program including public workshops, and have input into the development of the brief for assessments and studies of the area” (Official Invitation). The Panel is made up of people with community, business, environmental and sporting interests. The President of the ACT Equestrian Association has been invited to join the community panel presumably as a result of the organisation expressing strong opposition to any development which impacted on the Bicentennial National Trail which traverses the proposed development area.
This stretch from Kambah Pony Club to Namadgi NP is one of the most beautiful legs of the BNT within the ACT and many local as well as interstate riders have enjoyed the through the rural and natural environment along the River corridor. There are few other options for a BNT route if this one disappears under a suburb.
The first meeting of the community panel, to be held on 27 July. If you have views about the future of the Western Greenway area or want to be on a mailing list for updates about the panel please contact Christine Lawrence on cflawrence@homemail.com.au. Otherwise there will be updates on the ACTEA website at www.actea.asn.au. Here you can also find links to the Community Feedback Report, the membership of the community panel and the current rout of the BNT.
The government “HaveYour Say” is no longer available but if you want to comment directly to the government until 31 July you can log on to www.timetotalk.act.gov.au. At this site you can access the Community Feedback Report and you can subscribe to ongoing information posts about the issue.