A Ballina shire councillor has slammed supporters of the ‘save our road’ group at Lennox Head for the serial vandalising of footpaths and a toilet block at Lake Ainsworth where a family park is planned as part of improvements.
Lennox-Head based Cr Jeff Johnson said it was not the first time such graffiti had been spray-painted on the facilities by what he described as ‘desperate’ and ‘increasingly aggressive’ supporters who wanted to stop studies on the project going on public exhibition.
‘This has happened either before or directly after Ballina Council has debated this issue,’ Cr Johnson said.
‘Some responsibility must fall on the core members of this group who continue to mislead the wider community about the proposed Lake Ainsworth improvement initiatives and what the process is moving forward.
‘Currently various studies are being completed as part of a development application to transform the eastern foreshore of the Lake into a family friendly community park.
‘Other components of the proposal include the formalisation of the southern road parking, improved pedestrian safety, storm water management, erosion control measures, environmental plantings, additional disabled parking, BBQ facilities, a shared path etc.
‘Once the studies and application has been completed there will be public meetings and an extensive consultation process so that as many members of our community as possible can see the proposal and make submissions based on the facts rather than the information contained in a factually incorrect petition or the words of a stranger who comes knocking at their door.
‘The current situation of claim and counter claim will never heal the divide that has been created within the Lennox community over this issue, the only way to heel that rift is for everyone to see what is being proposed once the designs and studies have been completed, said Cr Johnson
‘Why is the ‘save our road’ group and their newly found ‘champion’ Cr Keith Williams so desperate to stop the studies and planning reports from being completed and put on public exhibition?
‘Is it because this increasingly aggressive group realises that once the public sees what is proposed their campaign of misinformation will be seen for what it is?’
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