Bathurst Regional Council will build a $500,000 memorial flagstaff over the toilet block in Bicentennial Park, marking the spot where Governor Lachlan Macquarie proclaimed the settlement of Bathurst on May 7, 1815.

The flagstaff will the major project during Bathurst’s 200th birthday celebrations next year, and is expected to become another attraction in the city. And that has worried residents on the other side of Stanley Street, who say it is already just a matter of time before there is a serious accident.

John Hollis told council that Stanley Street was a tight street that already attracted a lot of traffic and that would only get worse in coming years.

He asked if footpaths would be included in planning for the flagstaff and whether a traffic plan would be prepared for the area.

“A footpath in the area is essential,” Mr Hollis said. 

“The flagstaff will be quite a tourist attraction. If you are walking along there or pushing a pram then it is already quite dangerous.”

Mr Hollis said residents were already finding it difficult to cope with the traffic.

“Even now the traffic through there is an absolute nightmare and it’s a wonder there has not been a serious accident,” he said.

“To get into our driveway we have to back in and hope no-one comes whizzing around from William Street and runs into us.”

However, Mr Hollis also congratulated council on the design chosen for the flagstaff and said it would be a great way for the city to celebrate 200 years.

Engineering director Doug Patterson said there were currently no plans to develop a specific traffic plan for Stanley Street, while footpaths could still be included in the designs for the flagstaff.

He said a vacant lot of land behind the Bathurst Aquatic Centre had been earmarked for development as a car park, which would reduce the number of cars on the street, but it could only go ahead when funding was allocated in council’s annual budget.