A WAVE park in Alfred Cove will have a positive impact on the surrounding environment and be fed by an under-allocated aquifer, says the proponent.
Urbnsurf (Perth) Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Wave Park Group, last week lodged its environmental assessment of the project with the Environmental Protection Authority, which will decide on whether to conduct a review.
Urbnsurf’s report, prepared by consultants PGV Environmental, says the surf facility will improve water quality in the Swan River; currently 18 unfiltered stormwater drains empty into the cove, while urbanisation means the groundwater is contaminated with nutrients, heavy metals and organic compounds.
The company plans to extract then treat 22.5 megalitres from a superficial aquifer, and the report says getting it to the quality where surfers would be safe splashing around means any that’s re-injected will be far cleaner than when it came out.
A stormwater drain adjoining the facility would also be upgraded to a “living stream” with native plants and potentially pollution control devices to keep nasties out of the river.
The report disputes there’ll be any impact on birdlife at the Alfred Cove Nature Reserve, saying the area closest to the facility is mostly deep water where there were few sightings of migratory wading birds.
It also says the wave park will result in “a net increase in native vegetation cover through landscaping throughout the facility”. Urbnsurf has proposed realigning a dual use path to make it more accessible and increase the area available for plantings.
The full report is available on the EPA website and public comment is open until January 18.
Meanwhile, opponents have mustered enough signatures to force another special meeting of electors for this Wednesday, January 17 at the Mt Pleasant Baptist Community College on Marmion Street.
The petitioners are calling on the City of Melville to put the wave park and Tompkins Park redevelopment on the backburner, until a local government inquiry into the council has been completed.
They also want the council to review its decision to move the Melville Bowling Club.
by STEVE GRANT