IT was a great surprise to me when I read the Western Advocate's front page on Monday morning (Link Road: Laffing Waters Plan Won't Work Without Another River Crossing, June 3).
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I had thought that my two previous letters suggesting a new bridge be built over the Macquarie River had fallen on deaf ears.
But thank you to councillors Warren Aubin, Alex Christian and deputy mayor Robert Bourke for the information in today's paper.
On Wednesday, October 11, 2017, I had a letter published in the Western Advocate addressing a number of ideas to cater for the future needs of the growing Kelso area.
I will go through them again here:
A brand new bridge with floodgates: A new bridge over the Macquarie River from either the Stewart, Peel or Hope Streets. A new road to the intersection of Gilmour Street and Ecrates Drive at the Laffing Waters Estate.
A four-lane bridge with floodgates which, when closed, would bank up the water right back to the waterworks complex at Gormans Hill should be built.
Of course, our once magnificent Macquarie River would have to have a great deal of clearance work done to bring the river back to its best. At present, our Macquarie River is now a very pitiful sight.
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Stanley Street bridge: I did suggest that the formerly popular Stanley Street bridge should be rebuilt over another pitiful sight, the Jordan Creek. This would divert a lot of traffic away from Durham Street.
Northern bypass: About eight years ago, my first letter was published in which I advocated for this bypass.
The bypass easement was proposed and passed by our forward-thinking forefathers in 1906-7. It would travel from Raglan around Kelso to the Eglinton Bridge.
It is hard to believe that for more than 112 years our city aldermen and councillors have virtually sat on their hands and ignored the fact that when a town becomes a city, its transport needs grow.
The state railways used to be the main transport system but they have been made obsolete by the state government. One day the only way to carry our goods and produce to market will be on very large trucks. It would be interesting to know how many trucks flood through Bathurst daily.
I wonder if the National Party might turn back the clock 112 years and finish the proposed bypass around Bathurst as they are doing in Parkes. It may be a great election suggestion for 2022.
Bargain buys: In my 78 years as a resident of our great city of Bathurst there have been some wonderful developments carried out by our council, but two "bargain buys" that council didn't buy still amaze a lot of their ratepayers: The hotel/motel complex at Mount Panorama and the St Patrick's complex off Gilmour Street, Kelso with its 27 acres of land.
Once again, thank you, Warren, Chris and Robert. Copies of my letter of October 11, 2017 will be posted to you all.
