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| July 18, 2010 |
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Notices
for
Offshore Residents
of Pittwater, Australia
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 ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AT THOMAS STEPHENS RESERVE, CHURCH POINT After a recent meeting of stakeholders with Pittwater Council staff, a report will go to Council this Monday, July 19 regarding a ban on the consumption of alcohol at Thomas Stephens Reserve. The report seeks to limit the current practice of drinking alcohol at Thomas Stevens Reserve and recommends that alcohol be consumed at Church Point only between the hours of 3pm and 9pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, plus Public Holidays and at special events. This recommendation has been arrived at after several months of consultation and a considerable body of written submissions from local residents both Offshore and Onshore. The significant majority showed a preference for the preservation of the current situation with some minor limitations. As many stated, this Reserve has a long tradition as a community meeting place and, for better or worse, in our culture that often means having a drink. A number of submissions proposed a curfew and some suggested different times for summer and winter. Some residents said that they felt uncomfortable walking through Church Point at night when a group was still gathered after the last Ferry and the current location of the wharf means passing through this area. The Local Area Command and the Broken Bay Water Police have very little record of reported trouble at Church Point in recent years and their major concern is particularly focused on drink driving both vehicles and boats. Those who spend time at Church Point know that over the past few years there have been a few local incidents and late night over indulgences which have caused some concern. As many have pointed out these have come from only one or two people and have largely been “taken care of locally”. Indeed, against this background of unfortunate incidents there is a long record of local residents taking care of the Reserve by cleaning up and attempting to maintain social behaviour. The Offshore Community Associations both formally wrote to Council largely supporting the status quo. Taking the lead from many views expressed from Scotland  Island residents,
the Scotland Island Residents’
Association proposed a curfew after 8pm every night. The West Pittwater
Community Association supported the preservation of the status quo. The
Church Point Reserve Association largely supported the preservation of
the status quo with a curfew, whereas the Bayview/Church Point
Residents’ Association supported the ban of drinking alcohol in this
public Reserve, except on special occasions. Here is a link to the Council Report: Council Report CP Alcohol.pdf There is an error in the following letter from Pittwater Council advising us of their recommendation. Paragraph 2 should read: …. restrict consumption of alcohol at the reserve to 3pm – 9pm Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays” Bill Gye President Scotland Island Residents Association Click image to load the letter to
SIRA
Church Point Carpark Fees Comments Dear SIRA I think we need as a community to seek independent legal advice, It would seem to me that we are entering into a contract with Pittwater Council to fund or contribute to the funding of the development of the carpark. If it is indeed a contract then it is dangerously open ended, to our possible detriment. The cost of development is a ball park figure, what if it is much more costly (say twice as much) do our contributions increase accordingly? Do we have a choice at that point to decide not to proceed with extending the car park at all? What if permission (DA) is not given to build a tiered car park ? What if the reclamation of some of Pittwater is not given approval or that part is too expensive? How does that affect our future contribution? My own view expressed at certain points in the process of the management plan has been not to support the extension of the car park into McCarrs Creek road partly based on the uncertainty of the cost and of gaining approvals. I do however have no reservation about paying a small fee for consistent long term parking and consider the proposed $275.00 to be reasonable. My view is that we pay this amount with CPI increases as a fee for parking but I do not feel at all comfortable entering into a plan that is so uncertain. David Wardman Scotland Island  The Local Guide - Community Information Click HERE to load |
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