Beachlands residents win campaign for footpath

The City of Greater Geraldton council has agreed to a footpath for Fraser Street in Beachlands after receiving a petition from resident Isabel Ross with 60 signatures. Ms Ross asked for a path to be built on the southern side of Fraser Street from Evans Street, crossing Francis Street, and continuing to the existing footpath on the eastern side of Gregory Street. However, City officers decided it would be better to place the first section of the 300m path on the north side of Fraser Street abutting the park. City employee Ebony Enright wrote a report to the council saying this would avoid any potential retaining issues from elevated blocks on the southern side. “This would place the path adjacent to the park and community garden and take advantage of the existing street lighting on the northern side of the road,” she wrote. “Priority is given to footpaths adjacent to activity centres such as parks, schools and shops, where there are missing links and where there are high volumes of pedestrians.” Ms Enright said the footpath, costed at $111,000, was listed “for future consideration only”. Councillors passed the motion without discussion after Cr Victor Tanti proposed it and Cr Natasha Colliver seconded it.