The Werri Beach ‘Connecting our Community’ project proponents have been told it will take $80-100,000 to develop a masterplan for the initiative.

The project envisages a pump track, a children’s bike track for beginners, an expansion of the skate track, an enclosed toddler’s playground, a birdlife pond, a landscaped recreation and picnic area and an upgrade to the nearby toilets.

It was supported in 2020 by former Councillor Andrew Sloan and endorsed by all councillors in April 2021, but has not progressed further at this stage.

“We began this concept of connecting our community project in September 2020 with a vision of making a family-friendly recreational and social hub for all age groups to interact, engage, enjoy and not feel isolated within the Gerringong and Gerroa community,” says Jeff McCarthy, local resident and representative of the Werri Boardriders.

“We identified an area within South Werri Reserve as the best location for this project as there is a large area of community land available, already zoned as recreational, which would accommodate these activities and more.”

All of Gerringong’s service clubs support the concept.

Recently Jeff and Alison Walker invited Federal Labor Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips and Kiama Council’s Director of Engineering and Works, Mike Dowd, to join them and leaders from these local service groups at the Pacific Avenue site.

They are asking Fiona Phillips and Kiama Council to “go into bat” for this project to receive Commonwealth funding ahead of the Federal election.

Ms Phillips said it was a really exciting project and recognised the great community support for it.

“Community playgrounds are really important for the whole community as they improve wellbeing, support people of all ages and backgrounds, and this kind of diversity is something we should always encourage and promote, and particularly at this time.”

With Council support and a master plan, she said there are a number of different opportunities for financial support.

“This is definitely something I will be pursuing,” she said.

The project has been included on Council’s ‘wish list’ for funding, prepared for the approaching election [Wish list for election funding promises].

Council’s Mike Dowd said, “If we got support seed funding first, then we could bring all those issues and opportunities together for a master plan.”

He estimated that Council would need around $80-$100,000 for this plan and at least 9-12 months to develop a strategy.

“We have several small playgrounds in our community which only cater to small to pre-teen children, not the broad community,” says Jeff.

“We wanted a play space that includes all the attributes of a community hub to suit all age groups.”

Mike Dowd agreed that there are too many little playgrounds in the area and there is a “need to restrategize”.

“I love that there’s a community passion,” he said. 

“The Werri Beach ‘Connecting our Community’ project needs to be recognised as a matter of urgency for the health and wellbeing of our community,” says Jeff.