The Draft Hobart Regional Arterial Bicycle Network is part of collaborative project between the greater Hobart Councils of Brighton, Clarence, Glenorchy, Hobart and Kingborough that has received funding from the Australian Government under the Cities for Climate Protection Accelerated Action Grant program. The Project has been bringing speakers to Hobart over the past months to highlight the benefits to the wider community of providing excellent facilities for cyclists. The collaborative project has also begun the process of documenting and planning a comprehensive regional cycling infrastructure.
The Draft Hobart Regional Arterial Bicycle Network is a document that crosses Municipal boundaries and identifies where arterial cycling routes are needed across the region to facilitate safe and efficient transport by bicycle. The launch of this draft plan for public consultation by the Mayors of the five participating Councils on Friday the 9th of May is a major step towards implementing such a network.
Comment can be made to Stuart Baird, Hobart Regional Arterial Bicycle Network, GPO Box 503 Hobart, 7001 or email: bairds@hobartcity.com.au. Closing date for comments is Friday 20 June 2008.
The Hobart City Council has considered a draft Community Consultation Policy and resolved to release this draft document for comment.
Community consultation creates an active and informed dialogue that seeks an understanding of the views and aspirations of the community.
The purpose of this Policy is to provide a framework that facilitates understanding and decision making between the Council and the Hobart community.
The community consultation policy objectives are to:
The Hobart City Council recognises the right of the community members to be informed and have input into decisions which affect their lives.
Hobart City Council values effective consultation in developing a positive relationship with its community and recognises that community participation contributes to better decision-making.
Council seeks to take account of the views, needs, issues and aspirations expressed by the community and to balance these with other influences such as budgetary constraints to make informed decisions.
In applying this policy, the Council will demonstrate its values of leadership, community involvement, responsiveness, equity and excellence.
The Hobart City Council has developed the following nine (9) principles to guide the application of this policy:
Council embraces consultation as a key process in our governance of Hobart. A culture of consultation will continue to be developed at all levels of the organisation.
Council is committed to building effective relationships to improve the outcomes of consultations.
Council acknowledges the diversity of its community and will work to diminish barriers that may exist in order to encourage participation in consultation.
Stakeholders are encouraged to participate in the process and to express their views in a respectful and open manner.
The Council will clearly communicate the purpose of the consultation process; the steps involved and will allow sufficient time for effective involvement.
Council’s consultations will be clear and transparent to allow the community access to information and an understanding by the stakeholders of the processes and resources involved.
The results of consultations will be included in the considerations of the Council and in decision making.
The Council will provide a means for stakeholders to obtain feedback on the consultation.
The Council will evaluate and review its consultation framework to ensure it is responsive to the views and aspirations of the community.
Comments close 5:15pm, 21 April 2008.
Please phone the Executive Officer Parks and Customer Services, Kerry Baker on 62 382 896 for any enquiries concerning the draft Community Consultation Policy.
The major objective and emphasis for this project is to replace the failed seawall and develop the recreational promenade and foreshore parkland area.
The new seawall will generally be sited further landward on an alignment that closely mimics the natural shape of the beach. The four metre wide promenade will be located immediately behind the seawall. The re-aligned seawall should allow more natural movement of beach sand with an overall result that there should be more sand on the beach more often.
A likely construction period is between six to nine months.
It is planned that construction work will commence at northern end of the beach and progress southwards.
Wherever practicable, the existing seawall will remain intact while the new seawall and bleaches are constructed behind the existing wall.
Demolition of the existing seawall will generally be undertaken after construction of the new seawall. Clean beach sand excavated during the works will be stockpiled and used for beach nourishment in front of the new seawall.
An Environmental Management Plan (EMP) has been prepared for the project. The Contractor must comply with the requirements of the EMP which covers issues such as: (i) safe and appropriate handling of excavated material, (ii) erosion and sedimentation control, (iii) beach reinstatement and site clean up, (iv) dust and noise control, and (v) control of public access through the site etc.
After completion of the new seawall and promenade, the Council will continue with its development of the foreshore park surrounding area with works such as new landscaping, new bar-b-que facilities and up-graded carparks.
