GC Bulletin: Residents say no to bridge report

Residents say no to bridge report
Gold Coast Bulletin 20 Feb 06

IRATE residents of a multi-million-dollar riverfront enclave vow to bombard councillor Bob La Castra with mobile phone calls over a plan to build a bridge linking Benowa and Carrara.

Many of the waterfront mansions could be resumed and homeowners fear the quiet streets of Benowa Waters could become as busy as Bundall Road if the proposal goes ahead.

Cr La Castra wants a report into another Nerang River crossing linking Carrara and Benowa roads.

At an impassioned meeting yesterday, residents said a bridge and upgraded road would destroy Benowa's appeal and create hazards for schools dotted along the road.

Area councillor Susie Douglas and colleague Eddy Sarroff implored residents to lobby city hall to 'knock on the head' a recommendation for a consultant's report into the crossing.

They also told residents to ring Cr La Castra on his mobile and express their concerns.

Cr La Castra accused his renegade colleagues of whipping up 'mass hysteria' over the feasibility report. He said it was premature to marshal community dissent when the council was only considering a report on whether a bridge would be successful.

"The report might come back and give 101 reasons why it should or should not go ahead," he said.

"If we don't at least consider it, it's an abrogation of our role as councillors."

However, councillors Douglas and Sarroff said a report alone would set the bridge in motion. They feared it would help Cr La Castra garner the necessary support for the crossing in city hall.

Cr Douglas estimated about 200 people attended the rally.

"This bridge, linking Carrara Rd with Benowa Rd, goes right through an area where people have saved their whole lives to buy," she said.

"Cr La Castra has told me people in his division aren't happy with Ross St. I think Ross St is working very well."

The $15 million duplication of the Ross St bridge was completed in mid 2005, and a further $18 million will be spent upgrading the connecting Nerang-Broadbeach Rd.

Cr Douglas said she believed the council would have to resume many of the million-dollar waterfront homes because of the likely need to make the new road into four lanes.

"Apparently the cost of just putting the bridge across is $15 million," she said.

Rally speakers said drivers were lazy if they did not use nearby Bundall Rd or Ross St routes.

James Hatcher's house would likely be a casualty of any bridge.

Mr Hatcher said his family had lived in the house for four years, and had built a strong emotional bond to the riverfront address.

He said the safety of students at four schools and a preschool along Benowa Rd would be compromised if traffic increased.

"He's (Cr La Castra) putting children at risk with his proposal," he said.

Mr Hatcher's concerns were mirrored by St Kevin's Primary School teaching staff, who wrote to the council with concerns about Benowa Rd becoming busier.