AS has been previously reported by Fisho, a popular boat ramp at Sydney’s Bayview Park in Concord has been earmarked for closure between sunset and and sunrise due to “security issues”.
The proposed closure of the ramp which had recently undergone an expensive upgrade is set to lock out boat users during prime launch times for fishing Sydney Harbour and nearby Parramatta River.
Fishing World writer Sami Omari, who lives in the Concord area and is a regular user of the ramp reports that boaties could previously obtain access to use the ramp after hours, using keys issued by the Canada Bay Council.
Omari is urging concerned users of the ramp to lodge a submission (see example below) prior to tomorrow’s closing date to Mr John Osland (Director of Technical Services at Canada Bay Council via email at council@canadabay.nsw.gov.au.
The entrance gates to the ramp which are set to stay locked overnight. Image: Sami Omari
As a responsible boat owner, I strongly oppose any access restrictions to Bayview Park boat ramp and would appreciate a council solution would allow continued, unimpeded access whilst addressing the security issues that council have noted.
A blanket ban or closure of the ramp between sunrise and sunset unfairly disadvantages the vast majority of sensible residents, ratepayers, taxpayers and members of the boating community who responsibly enjoy unrestricted use of the ramp. It may also expose boat owners to increased fatigue and risk at night by causing them to travel further afield and use facilities that aren’t as accessible and sheltered as Bayview Park.
The ramp at Bayview Park is located in a sheltered bay, free of any surge or swell that comes through the main part of the river making it safer for use at night or in low light conditions. It provides efficient and safe infrastructure for launch and retrieval of recreational and commercial boats at all times of day and stages of tide. NSW Maritime legislated their life jacket reforms citing that vessels less than 4.8m operating at night will be at “heightened risk” and all occupants in this scenario must wear a life jacket. The proposed closure of Bayview Park is during this period of “heightened risk” and if boaters have to travel further to use an alternate ramp, they are being exposed to increased travel times during a period of heightened risk, which will no doubt be an immense concern from a safety perspective, especially for boaters in smaller vessels.
The Bayview Park public boat ramp and pontoon, at the end of Burwood Rd, was recently upgraded with 100 per cent funding from Roads and Maritime Services under the Better Boating Program at a cost of $339,000. To restrict access during periods of heightened risk between sunset and sunrise not only poses increased safety risk to the boating community but appears to be wasteful of taxpayer funds. Taxpayers would be better served if their safety is not compromised by a closure and they can continue to enjoy the current 24 hour access to a facility their funds have recently been invested in.
The closure of Bayview park would also create increased traffic and congestion at Taplin Park which is the nearest boat ramp that will consequently have to handle the increased traffic during sunset and sunrise. Taplin Park has insufficient unrestricted and dedicated boat parking so will not likely be able to handle the overflow if a Bayview park closure is introduced.
