WHEN I migrated to Bathurst almost 45 years ago, traffic crossed from Kelso to Bathurst via the Denison Bridge that still spans the Macquarie River.
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When looking over the Denison Bridge rails, one could not help noticing the unpleasant view of the banks of Macquarie River that closely bordered the Bathurst CBD. I often thought that the river setting should be a beautiful park setting and not the messy one that it was.
Little to my knowledge, the Bathurst forefathers had already planted a future vison for the area as, shortly thereafter, I noticed that the community was invited to dump clean landfill in what is now Peace Park and Bathurst Bicentennial Park.
Look at what Bathurst has now - a beautiful setting from Evans Bridge, past Denison Bridge to the George Street bridge, with further plans of park expansion along the river.
It is perhaps the most generally used park area of all the Bathurst parks and yet it has left enough of the river foreshores to accommodate the bountiful wildlife that everyone enjoys.
Visit the top of Mount Panorama today and view McPhillamy Park, Sulman Park, Reid Park, and the rest of the area around the top of Mount Panorama.
Every time we have visitors to Bathurst, we take them to McPhillamy Park and enjoy the great and peaceful views over Bathurst, Kelso and the other areas beyond.
However, venture further back into McPhillamay Park, along the dusty roadways and waterless lawns, and you will experience that there is no real park setting to enjoy up there - so you move on.
Where is the vision of today's fathers (that is, councillors)?
Do they see beautiful flower gardens, green grass, dustless walking paths and roadways, picnic tables, ornamental trees, water fountains, suitable amenities, and the like as is deserving of all worthy parks
Or do too many of them see much of what is now a restricted area for a noisy, smelly, go kartt track facility that would forever days take away from the general public much of the 360 degree views and disturb the everyday peacefulness of McPhillamy Park and its wildlife?
Do they realise that the buzz of go karts will be heard all the way to the CBD - and almost every day of the year?
The vision of the Bathurst people should prevail over those of a restricted few and the councillors should already know what the public view is.
The local politics of today seemed to have blurred the vision of some councillors and bureaucrats. It is time for our elected politicians, Andrew Gee and Paul Toole, to quietly whisper in some councillors' ears and clearly state that no more public money will come from the federal or state governments towards a go kart track that occupies part of McPhillamy Park and beyond. In fact, they should offer more money if the track is scheduled to be built in a more suitable area.
The public area of McPhillamy Park should be further extended and not decreased. If you think otherwise, then be prepared to see for a sign at the back of McPhillamy Park the reads something like: "Bathurst Bobby Bourke Go Kart Track".
Al Hammond, Bathurst
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