Meetings have commenced with stakeholder groups as part of the citywide engagement process on how the maintenance of revetment walls and canal and lake waterways at Raby Bay, Aquatic Paradise and Sovereign Waters are managed and funded into the future. Council provides maintenance by dredging the waterways so they remain navigable, and repairing the revetment walls that protect houses and other properties from erosion.
Since all ratepayers currently contribute to the canals and lake upkeep through general rates, it is appropriate that all ratepayers have the opportunity to have their say. Those who own canal or lake waterfront property in these estates benefit most from these maintenance activities and also pay the most. However, the estates are also home to some of our city’s most popular parks and the main waterways are also used by other residents and attract events such as the Raby Bay Triathlon.
The consultation will ensure city ratepayers can have a say and help answer these questions that have been hot topics for many years.
Community engagement opportunities will include open house displays, library displays , pop up stands, an online survey and a telephone survey. Separate meetings with ratepayer associations or estate ratepayers have already commenced.
In addition, a Citizens’ Advisory Panel will comprise 40 residents who will be randomly selected and representative of different parts of the Redlands – Canal and Lake, Coastal, Inland and Island. These residents will come together over four occasions including an orientation and background meeting as well as three deliberative workshops.
The Panel will hear from experts and local residents and will have the time and information to carry out detailed deliberations and provide a report to Council. The Citizen’s Advisory Panel is being managed by two of Australia’s best community engagement consultants, Max Hardy and Articulous Communications.
The Market Research via telephone survey will occur towards the end of the process to test the recommendations of the Citizens’ Advisory Panel.
More information is available on Council’s Your Say website.