13 September 2012

Latham stepping stones under threat

| Mike Bessenger
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I was informed today that some politician does not like walking her dogs over stepping stones and is pushing for a $250000 bridge to be put across.

The stones have been there as long as I can recall and I crossed them daily as a kid to get to school and Belconnen. Nowadays I take the dogs there as it’s the only safe spot along that stretch of the creek the dogs can safely get into the water for a swim.

Special Meeting: Stepping Stones at Latham – Proposed Replacement Bridge

Submitted by Shirley Gourgaud on Mon, 26/09/2011 – 6:55pm

Following a meeting on Wednesday 21 September at the ‘Stepping Stones‘ on Ginninderra Creek at Latham with Mr Tony Gill, RoadsACT, those there agreed that, due to the lack of consensus for any bridge, we would discuss the issues further at a public meeting.

The staff room/library at the Latham Primary School has now been booked from

6.00pm – 7.30pm,
Thursday 13 October

A draft agenda for the meeting is set out below. Please forward any alterations to me, president@belcouncil.org.au, asap so all participants can be prepared.

  • Welcome and brief synopsis of the situation to date (Shirley Gourgaud) (5 min)
  • Presentation of diagram of the proposed pedestrian bridge (Tony Gill) (5 min)
  • Speakers for the proposal (15 min)
  • Speakers against the proposal (15 min)
  • Q&A session by audience of all speakers (30 min)
  • Ballot (10 min)
  • Refreshments/Neighbourhood Meet and Greet (15 min)

Given the time restraints, three speakers on each side of the discussion would be very manageable. The BCC will bring a laptop with overhead projector for any person wishing to give a powerpoint presentation.

http://belcouncil.org.au/node/3522

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The woman making the statement at the meeting is the same one in the article, but she isn’t a politician. The article refers to her comments about being a ratepayer.Yes, it isn’t the greatest idea around, but those actively trying to contribute to the debate aren’t being helped by incorrect statements.

Mike Bessenger said :

Maybe my information was false, maybe. Politician or not, it’s still stupid.
Here is the original Canberra Times article:
http://canberra.realviewtechnologies.com/?iid=67194&startpage=page0000010

Hold on, the boffins at the Chronicle have the capacity to PFD the paper and put it online, but they can’t stop delivering it to my house after repeated Emails..

TheDancingDjinn11:25 am 01 Dec 12

plumtree said :

When the creek flooded this stone bridge is uncrossable.

You mean those small stones don’t float when the creek floods? are you kidding me?

No one should be crossing a creek or water way in a flood anyway, if you do and get hurt oh well..

Mike Bessenger8:59 am 01 Dec 12

Maybe my information was false, maybe. Politician or not, it’s still stupid.
Here is the original Canberra Times article:
http://canberra.realviewtechnologies.com/?iid=67194&startpage=page0000010

To be fair, the female wasn’t a politician (that I know of) – at the last public meeting the woman, an enthusiastic proponent of a bridge, commented that her dog had knocked her offthe stepping stones into the creek.
Please see the related post and respons to the survey

http://timetotalk.act.gov.au/community-engagements/?engagement=stepping-stone-crossing-in-umbagong-district-park

DrKoresh said :

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd said :

RugbyWhat said :

https://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&ll=-35.21558,149.028003&spn=0.00134,0.002064&t=h&z=20

Awesome.

As much as i dislike this town, it does have a bunch of little cool things like this that im finding out about even after living here for 30 years.

Looking at the map I can’t see any nearby bridges, so I can see the merit in proposing they build one, but there’s no need to remove the stepping stones. Why not just build an adjacent bridge, instead of removing the history and character of the area by getting rid of the stones.

Looking at the map myself too, and using the walking directions feature from Google, there are bridges 650m and 800m walk away at either direction from the stepping stones.

I don’t really see the need for another bridge.

Glen Takkenberg
Pirate Party ACT

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd7:51 am 15 Sep 12

MissChief said :

p1 said :

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd said :

Qft

Quantum Field Theory?

I think it means Quoted for Truth, i.e. agreed.

Yes

DrKoresh said :

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd said :

RugbyWhat said :

https://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&ll=-35.21558,149.028003&spn=0.00134,0.002064&t=h&z=20

Awesome.

As much as i dislike this town, it does have a bunch of little cool things like this that im finding out about even after living here for 30 years.

Looking at the map I can’t see any nearby bridges, so I can see the merit in proposing they build one, but there’s no need to remove the stepping stones. Why not just build an adjacent bridge, instead of removing the history and character of the area by getting rid of the stones.

+1 for common sense, if a bridge is needed, no need to replace said stones, leave them alone.

When the creek flooded this stone bridge is uncrossable.

MissChief said :

We don’t have a huge amounts of history so things that have a meaningful place in the memories of Canberrans should not be destroyed.

This is why the Woden bus interchange should be heritage listed.

p1 said :

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd said :

Qft

Quantum Field Theory?

I think it means Quoted for Truth, i.e. agreed.

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd said :

Qft

Quantum Field Theory?

If I was in town on the 13th I’d go to that meeting and boo at them. Somebody here needs to do up a s#t hot power point pres and talk some sense into these Muppets. Who’s up for it!?

By my reckoning there’s a footbridge less than 700m from the stepping stone crossing.

Conan of Cooma said :

I bet people on unicycles also don’t like the stepping stones.

If they’re Municyclists or fans of Unbeatable Banzuki they probably LOVE the stepping stones!

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd3:34 pm 14 Sep 12

MissChief said :

This kind of rubbish is exactly why people are choosing to leave Canberra. We labour to pay ridiculous rates and taxes and they spend the money on what? Stuff we don’t need, that nannies us and ruins what little character/joy the place has left.

We don’t have a huge amounts of history so things that have a meaningful place in the memories of Canberrans should not be destroyed. BTW, whatever happened to the Mouse Trap and tree houses at Weston Park?

Qft

This kind of rubbish is exactly why people are choosing to leave Canberra. We labour to pay ridiculous rates and taxes and they spend the money on what? Stuff we don’t need, that nannies us and ruins what little character/joy the place has left.

We don’t have a huge amounts of history so things that have a meaningful place in the memories of Canberrans should not be destroyed. BTW, whatever happened to the Mouse Trap and tree houses at Weston Park?

SnapperJack said :

If she wants a bridge there it would be in the wrong place. When the roads in Belconnen were being planned in 1966, Dalley Cres (north) was supposed to continue via a bridge over Ginninderra Creek and link up with Florey Drive. For some reason the bridge was never built.

If a bridge is to be built then it shouldn’t be over the stepping stones, it should be the long lost missing link to finally complete Dalley Cres.

Huh. I always thought that maybe there was supposed to be a bridge there. I wonder why they planned it then changed their minds? It was well before self government, so the usual ‘run out of money’ excuse probably wasn’t the reason. Maybe they just realised a bridge wasn’t needed?

+1 for sticking a bridge 20m up or down stream *if* they really think one is needed.

DrKoresh said :

Looking at the map I can’t see any nearby bridges, so I can see the merit in proposing they build one, but there’s no need to remove the stepping stones. Why not just build an adjacent bridge, instead of removing the history and character of the area by getting rid of the stones.

There’s a bridge a five minute walk away. Anyone walking their dog should be able to make the distance.

While they are at it, why not have some bright confusing non-publically consulted art work installed down there? It looks too natural.

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd said :

RugbyWhat said :

https://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&ll=-35.21558,149.028003&spn=0.00134,0.002064&t=h&z=20

Awesome.

As much as i dislike this town, it does have a bunch of little cool things like this that im finding out about even after living here for 30 years.

Looking at the map I can’t see any nearby bridges, so I can see the merit in proposing they build one, but there’s no need to remove the stepping stones. Why not just build an adjacent bridge, instead of removing the history and character of the area by getting rid of the stones.

If she wants a bridge there it would be in the wrong place. When the roads in Belconnen were being planned in 1966, Dalley Cres (north) was supposed to continue via a bridge over Ginninderra Creek and link up with Florey Drive. For some reason the bridge was never built.

If a bridge is to be built then it shouldn’t be over the stepping stones, it should be the long lost missing link to finally complete Dalley Cres.

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd11:06 am 14 Sep 12

RugbyWhat said :

https://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&ll=-35.21558,149.028003&spn=0.00134,0.002064&t=h&z=20

Awesome.

As much as i dislike this town, it does have a bunch of little cool things like this that im finding out about even after living here for 30 years.

Dont forget the stepping stones over Sullies at the ANU (2 lots!). All stones should be banned, they arent natural.

The environmental impact of such a bridge is unacceptable. I demand the build a tunnel instead!

Conan of Cooma8:43 am 14 Sep 12

I bet people on unicycles also don’t like the stepping stones.

$250,000!? Can’t we spend this money on more phallic owls, or a humidicrib or something else?

Can we get a photo added of said stones please? I have heard of them but never seen them myself, curious to actually see better what the fuss is all about.

There were signs about this posted at the stepping stone either earlier this year or late last year. I thought it was a joke.

Is this April fools?!? How many mobility impaired people go down that way, and actually want to cross the creek. It’s a cool spot to run across the creek, kids love it and if they need to cross when it’s flooded then they can walk up to the bridge.
I think we have far better things to spend public money on. A piece of public art in the nearby area would be a vastly better investment (seriously).

housebound said :

There’s enough bridges along that part of the creek. Said politician could go a different way rather than going all religious right and demanding we change to fit her lifestyle choices.

Totally agree, leave those stones alone, building another walk bridge would wreck the character of the creek..I have been a Latham resident for 30 years and have never once heard of anyone complaining about the stones..Where has this crapola come from all of a sudden?

There’s enough bridges along that part of the creek. Said politician could go a different way rather than going all religious right and demanding we change to fit her lifestyle choices.

Conan of Cooma5:12 pm 13 Sep 12

I bet people in wheelchairs don’t like the stepping stones, either.

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