A resident has raised the question of why the funding and provision of safe pathways and roads has fallen on the responsibility of a volunteer organisation.
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The man was speaking during question time in front of hundreds of attendees at the Beach to Beach Riverwalk pathway public meeting on Wednesday, September 11.
Pathway's committee is advocating and working to connect the Camden Haven, through 11 kilometres of safe access between Pilot Beach and North Haven Beach.
The committee's president Penny Small said the projected cost for completion of the pathway currently stands at $9.5 million, whereas a decade ago the cost was given as $750,000.
The man directed his question to Port Macquarie-Hastings Mayor Peta Pinson and he stated it is a core local government responsibility to provide safe roads and pathways.
In response to the man's question, Cr Peta Pinson said an answer required her to liase with the appropriate council departments. She encouraged the man and other members of the public to email her directly.
Over several years the Beach to Beach Riverwalk pathway committee has hosted a number of fundraisers and has been working with the NSW Government and Port Macquarie-Hastings Council to secure a number of grants.
Cr Peta Pinson and Member for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams said they thought the implementation of the pathway was a priority and would continue to do all they could to support the project.
Cr Pinson emphasised the project as it currently stands is not "shovel ready" and it needs to follow the appropriate processes, including an environmental assessment study, to ensure it abides by the law.
The Mayor also explained to attendees at the meeting why she would not support a proposal by Cr Levido for council to borrow $25 million, $1 million of which would go towards the Beach to Beach pathway.
Cr Pinson said she is an advocate for road safety and wants to "get people off the streets", however she did not want the community to be burdened financially.
Mrs Small said if the entire pathway way cannot be funded, it is a priority to get the more dangerous sections completed.
"We need D3 and D5 and we need them done tomorrow," she said.
Mrs Small spoke in response to a resident's concern about the very narrow section of road on The Boulevarde near the Dunbogan Boatshed, where vehicles are at imminent risk of hitting a pedestrian or cyclist.
The next fundraiser for the Beach to Beach Riverwalk Camden Haven project is a celebrity themed ball in November. For more information visit the group's Facebook page.
For more information about the pathway project visit Port Macquarie-Hastings Council's website.
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