ICONIC PANDANUS TREES REQUIRE TREATMENT
A couple of the Pandanus trees at the intersection of Bauer Street & The Esplanade, Bargara (outside Kacy’s and Salt) have been infected with ‘leaf hopper’ bug which is infecting many foreshore trees within the region.
Part of the treatment is to strip off any infected leaves so that the remedial chemicals have a better chance of saving the trees. Unfortunately, this may result in the trees looking somewhat barren for a while but I wanted to make people aware of what was happening in case they noticed any changes.
REPLACEMENT OF FORESHORE LIGHTS
Residents may have noticed that a number of lights within Bargara’s foreshore parkland are being replaced after 12 years of sea air have taken their toll on those that were originally installed as part of the streetscape project.
The lighting ‘heads’ of the new lights will utilise a new LED format with a slightly more red spectrum to replace the former low pressure sodium vapour lamps previously used. The new lights are believed to be more ‘turtle friendly’ however there are ever-shifting opinions and ongoing trials to determine the ultimate ‘friendly’ lighting.
NIELSON OR NEILSON?
For some time I’ve been as confused as many residents when it comes to the correct spelling of Nielson Park – is the ‘i’ before or after the ‘e’?
During an inspection of the foreshore today I noticed that the inscription on the Neilson Park Gate monument (opposite the dead-end of McCavanagh Street) records that the park was named after Chas. Neilson.
Unfortunately, a few metres away to the south, the Council name sign calls the area Nielson Park, so I remain a bit confused. I’m sure that there will be a historical buff which can set me straight on this issue but in the meantime I’ll go with the spelling provided on the plaque by the gentleman who presented it and who the park was named after.
UPDATE – Within minutes of posting this article I was contacted by Grace Rickert who is the grand-daughter of Charles Frederick Nielson (former Mayor of Bundaberg City Council). She advised that his name, as it appeared on the plaque, appears to have been spelt incorrectly back in 1923 and that the Council park sign is indeed correct. She has forwarded this photograph of Charles which is cut from a newspaper article.
So there you go – another win for social media!
OFF-LEASH DOG AREA TO BE DELINEATED & SIGNPOSTED
Finally, after three years, the Neilson Park Off-Leash Dog area is to be delineated and signposted. In February this year I put a motion to Council to include fencing or delineation in the budget however the fencing didn’t make the grade.
In the interim period, dog owners and other coastal walkers have remained confused as to where the boundaries of the off-leash area are and what the ‘rules’ associated with its use are.
At an on-site meeting with a number of Council officers today it was agreed that coloured bollards will delineate the extreme boundaries of the area with appropriate signing at prominent locations.
MARY KINROSS PARK BOLLARDS TO PROTECT CHILDREN
A number of bollards are being installed in Mark Kinross Park in the vicinity of the Playground Hub following a number of reports of hoons taking their vehicles into the park and tearing up the grassed area in the vicinity of the playground hub. Apart from the obvious risk to children, this practice is also damaging the park surface.
This area is proposed to grow over future years as the hub is expanded and additional facilities such as shelter sheds, BBQs, toilets, etc are installed.
The bollards are constructed from recycled plastics and should outlast the traditional timber post. Whilst it’s still possible for vehicles to illegally enter the park to the south, Council will monitor the situation to determine if the installation of more bollards is appropriate.
ROADWAY LINE MARKING UNDERWAY
Following the significant amount of road works undertaken over the past 18 months or so, Council’s contractor is currently applying line markings between the CBD area and Rifle Range Road.
The work will involve much of The Esplanade, Miller Street & Woongarra Scenic Drive and should be completed by tomorrow afternoon (weather permitting). Some minor traffic delays will be incurred as traffic controllers will be in place on a rolling basis as the work progresses from north to south.