A CRUMBLING jetty at Patterson Lakes Plaza will be rebuilt after Kingston Council and the state government resolved a dispute over funding for the project.
The inner harbour jetty will be built with $499,000 of taxpayers’ money from the Labor state government and Kingston Council has agreed to maintain the jetty.
Maintenance costs are estimated to be about $10,000 annually.
Carrum Labor MP Sonya Kilkenny said the previous impasse over council effectively refusing to accept stage one funding of $139,000 late last year had been “disappointing” (“Rifts over new jetty plans”, The News 2/11/16) but she is now pleased the jetty will be rebuilt.
The state government announced stage two funding of $360,000 under a Boating Safety and Facilities Program.
Ms Kilkenny said she met with newly-elected mayor Cr David Eden and council CEO John Nevins to discuss the public jetty refurbishment after November’s council elections.
“Like me, Cr Eden has always been a huge supporter of the local community’s push for a public jetty,” Ms Kilkenny said.
“Following that meeting, council applied for further funding from the state government to undertake stage two of the jetty project.”
The new jetty will be used by boaters, the Coast Guard and Water Police.
Melbourne Water will pitch in $35,000 for the upgrades.
The existing jetty is on a site privately owned by the Harbour Plaza Shopping Centre and the state government is responsible for managing the waterways.
“The new inner harbour jetty will be a fantastic addition to Patterson Lakes and help attract new visitors to the area to enjoy the stunning waterways,” Cr Eden said.
“I thank and congratulate the local residents and businesses who have initiated the campaign for this fantastic new community facility for all to enjoy.”
Once completed the new jetty will include 11 boating berths, a berth specifically for Victoria Police and Volunteer Coast Guard vessels, a ramp extra gangway and mooring poles.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 15 February 2017
