APN:
Luis Feliu
Controversial plans to build an inflatable water-theme park in Jack Evans Boat Harbour, which were withdrawn after a public outcry recently, have been revived.
A move by the Gold-Coast based ‘Aquasplash’ fun park operators to lease the lucrative Crown land site in the heart of Tweed Heads will be debated by Tweed shire councillors on Thursday, August 18, their last meeting before the September council election.
And community groups opposed to the plan have told a state parliamentary inquiry into development on Crown lands the fun-park plan would impact on public access, noise and amenity, as well as the cultural significance of the Aboriginal area.
Tweed Shire Council’s call for expressions of interest to build and operate a tourist attraction in the harbour closed on July 20, and Aquasplash is on of the tenders, proposing again to erect its plastic amusement park.
But the local residents’ association has called for a moratorium on the sale, lease or development of all Crown and public lands, while local campaigners against it say the decision could allow the harbour to be commercialised.
Save JEBH Group secretary Stephanie Deane told Echonetdaily the pending decision was like opening ‘the lid on Pandora’s Box, if the lid is taken off, where will it end?’
In its parliamentary submission, the Save JEBH Group said the plan to lease the site for a theme park would lead to ‘more and more commercial development’.
‘The vast majority of the community are likely to see a commercial, inflatable fun park as having an adverse effect that will significantly change their environment,’ Ms Deane told parliament in her submission.
‘It is not in harmony with community desires and does not suit the demographic of the Tweed Heads area.
‘The natural setting of Jack Evans Boat Harbour precinct promotes a distinctive visual character and provides public amenity and is valuable social space for all members of the community.’
Tweed District Residents and Ratepayers Association secretary Ronni Hoskisson told local media that locals were ‘mortified’ to learn that the Crown ‘may propose to transfer further lands into the control of Tweed Shire Council under a reserve trust arrangement’.
Ms Deane said that if approved, the plan would ‘change the visual and environmental nature of the Jack Evans Boat Harbour (JEBH) and parkland’.
‘This is a major decision… a decision has to be made on the two Expressions of Interest (tenders) received by council to operate private businesses on the harbour,’ Ms Deane told Echonetdaily today.
‘Aquasplash of course submitted a tender and the other contender is Endless Summer Hire.
‘While we know that Aquasplash want to install a huge inflatable fun park in the harbour, we know nothing about Endless Summer Hire.
‘The EOIs [expressions of interest] were called for by council with no prior public consultation and yet they will have a dramatic affect on the harbour area.
‘This is a decision that either allows commercialisation of the JEBH and parkland or it stops it! It’s the lid on Pandora’s Box, if the lid is taken off, where will it end?
”Will it lead to more and more commercial development on the harbour and commercial development of crown land on the northern side of the harbour?
‘While some may argue Big Trev is a private operator, he has been operating in the harbour for 16 years, he is a part of the harbour and a local icon and offers passive non motorised, quite water sports equipment. He is our local fish whisperer!
‘Councillors Katie Milne, Gary Bagnall and Barry Longland have fought to keep the lid on the box, please councillors do the right thing for the community and vote against the commercialisation of JEBH and please save our beautiful passive open public space,’ Ms Deane said.
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