SOUTH LAKE residents hoping to see their beloved Berrigan Lake jetty restored have been dealt another blow, with the City of Cockburn confirming there are currently no plans to replace the structure.
The jetty was removed last month after an assessment found it had substantially deteriorated following prolonged exposure to seasonal flooding.
The City said the decision was made on public safety grounds, with the risk considered serious enough that the jetty had to be removed without community consultation.
“Following an assessment, it was decided the jetty should be removed as the structure had suffered substantial deterioration as a result of prolonged exposure to seasonal flooding,” the City said.
“This created an increasing risk to public safety which the City needed to address.”
The City said it had since spoken with Connecting South Lake, the local residents’ association, to explain the reasons for the removal.
• South Lake locals campaigning to save their jetty have received a blow.
Flooding
But residents’ hopes of getting the much-loved facility back appear unlikely to be realised.
“After careful assessment of the structure’s condition, ongoing environmental factors, consideration of recurring seasonal flooding on the jetty’s future structural integrity, along with public safety concerns, it is proposed not to replace the jetty,” the City said.
The response follows a Herald report last week highlighting residents’ anger over the removal, with South Lake residents group president Tracy Kilian saying the suburb had few public facilities and calling for the jetty to be restored.
“We want our jetty back,” Ms Kilian said.
The City said it was aware of the structure’s importance to the community and had arranged to meet Connecting South Lake on Monday, August 17, to discuss its position and hear residents’ concerns.
“The City is aware of the jetty’s significance as a community asset,” it said.
The meeting was expected to give residents an opportunity to question the City about the decision and its plans for the site.