Track is

The late report at last week’s council briefing also listed the 70 submissions relating to the inconvenience to residents in the past three years, volume of traffic and unexploded ordinance.

During public question time, Alkimos resident Mark Bovenkerk asked if the track was now more popular than it had ever been, and the City’s infrastructure director Dennis Blair said that was what maintenance staff and residents had advised him.

‘If it really is true now that it’s more popular than ever, would it not be wise to keep it open rather than close it?’ Mr Bovenkerk said.

The tiler asked why the report included alternative options if the track was ‘unsalvageable’.

‘For the council to re-open it, they need to be convinced that it is safe for two-way access,’ Mr Blair said.

‘If it’s in its current situation in 28 days, I wouldn’t make a recommendation that it is re-opened.’

Mr Bovenkerk also asked if councillors were aware of the ‘good’ that came out of Two Rocks, such as rubbish clean-ups, day trips for children with special needs and the Australian culture of getting out on the beach.

‘Without this track, you’ve got 30km of beach land that is inaccessible,’ he said.

Mr Blair took on notice Clarkson resident Steve Parsons’ question about how funds required to close the track and put rangers on patrol there compared to funds required to maintain it. In response to Mindarie resident Michael Watts’ question about how the track got to a state that it had to be closed, Mr Blair said it was in reasonable condition for one-way traffic but not two-way traffic.