URBNSURF’S dream to build a wave park at Alfred Cove is over because of the State Government’s refusal to allow a portion of Crown land to be involved.
The company’s founder and executive director Andrew Ross confirmed that it was back to the drawing board in the search for a venue after Lands Minister Ben Wyatt’s announcement on Thursday.
Speaking on 6PR this morning, he said the organisation and its backers had spent $500,000 over a near three-year period on the project and he would have a tough time explaining the decision to investors.
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READ NOWHe said the project could not be redesigned to suit the Tompkins Park site but they were open to working with the State Government on other sites.
Mr Ross said they had previously spent three years investigating 30 sites but could not find one that was feasible.
He noted that it was much easier working with interstate governments on wave park projects.
Lands Minister Ben Wyatt told Wave Park proponents yesterday that he would be rejecting a proposal by the City of Melville to use a portion of Crown land for the project.
Despite the parcel of Crown land being only a very small part of the overall land required for the development, the Minister has previously been made aware by the developers that it was necessary for the project to proceed.
While noting the very positive vision for the project, Mr Wyatt said it simply was not appropriate to hand over a portion of riverfront land which is owned by the community and remains in constant use by the community.
“While I admire the enthusiasm of the developers we must remember that it is land owned by the community and without local support, it is impossible to justify locking future generations out of the space which was designated for public recreation and constant use,” he said.
Swan Estuary Reserves Action Group (SERAG) presented a petition in October requesting 4000sqm of crown land not be sold to the City for the proposed wave park.
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No sale: Wave Park plan dead in the water
