More than 6000 households in Ocean Grove will each pay $333.87 to help fund a network of connected footpaths.
The City of Greater Geelong on Tuesday night voted to adopt a shared funding model for 24.3 kilometres of footpaths that will be built around the town.
The city will fork out 65 per cent of the costs totalling $4,408,162, while private property owners (6537 properties overall) will contribute $2,122,381.09 (35 per cent).
Council amended the breakdown from a 54/46 split, which would have seen each household contribute $476.95.
Deputy mayor Trent Sullivan said an extensive amount of engagement had shown the initiative had broad community support.
“We’ve spent time to get this right and ensure the network of paths linking key centres and facilities best meets the needs of the community,” he said.
“The new paths will provide more opportunities for people to choose active transport and create a safer and more accessible network around ‘old’ Ocean Grove.”
The Ocean Grove Town Centre Urban Design Framework, adopted by council in June 2014, recommended that a Principal Pedestrian Network (PPN) be developed in the town.
Council resolved to give notice of its intention to declare a Special Charge Scheme (SCS) to deliver the PPN at a meeting in March 2021.
Formal engagement on the SCS began in April, with 298 submissions received from the community.
In response to the feedback, a 1km section around the Begola Wetlands was removed, which reduced both the total project cost and the contribution required from property owners.
The total network is now made up of 24.3km of new footpaths and shared paths, including 21.1km of 1.5-metre-wide concrete footpaths 3.2km of 2.5-metre-wide concrete or gravel ‘shared’ paths.
Bellarine Ward councillor Jim Mason said the footpath network would improve accessibility and encourage more people to use active transport modes such as walking and cycling.
“This has been a difficult process, but I think the funding model we have voted on is the most practical outcome,” he said.
“A reduction from 50 per cent contribution to 35 per cent for residents provides a reduction on the original proposal, and by going ahead rather than abandoning or delaying we are finding a way to get this important footpath network built in its entirety.
“A decision on this issue has been a long time coming for the Ocean Grove community and we now at last have certainty that it will be delivered in full.”
Ocean Grove Community Association chairperson Phil Edwards welcomed the decision.
“OGCA is very pleased to see council finally make a decision on the Ocean Grove PPN after so many years of deliberation and discussion,” he said.
“We think the councillors’ decision for council to pay a larger proportion of the total cost and reduce the cost to the 6000 plus rate payers is a reasonable outcome particularly as council staff recommended staying with the outdated standard 50/50 split.
“Now we want to see council get on with delivering the actual footpaths – not wait another seven years.”
