Facial injuries and fatal falls prompt calls for funding overhaul on suburban footpaths
‘Why is it taking people to sustain serious injury before footpaths are fixed?’ Councillor for Deagon Ward Jared Cassidy sparks heated exchange in council chambers.
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Busted and broken footpaths are bringing the Bayside’s elderly community to their knees as basic capital investments are overlooked in favour of “flashy projects”, according to Councillor for Deagon Ward Jared Cassidy.
Cr Cassidy claimed the Brisbane City Council waited for serious injury or death before ripping up and replacing suburban footpaths during a heated exchange in council chambers this month.
“I personally know of people that have sustained serious injuries, and in one case died, tripping over damaged and dangerous footpaths in our suburbs,” Cr Cassidy said.
“That fatal incident happened to an elderly woman in Sandgate. The day after that tragedy, the footpath was fully replaced.”
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The woman in question was Maisie O’Connor, a member of the Sandgate Senior Citizens Centre, who was in her 80s when she tripped on the footpath outside the centre and sustained fatal injuries.
Centre president Joy Nielsen said while the death happened quite a few years ago, little had been done to make pathways safer for their community.
“Out the front is very dangerous for our ladies with their walkers,” Mrs Nielsen said.
“It’s run down, there’s cracks there, and they resurfaced the area (where Maisie fell), but they didn’t touch the area right out the front of the building.
“That definitely needs work, and we’ve mentioned it (to council) quite a few times.”
An investigation commissioned by Cr Cassidy revealed 2000km of broken footpaths in Brisbane.
He recalled the case of a Brighton couple who had recently come into his office complaining of significant facial injuries after the woman had tripped on a pathway on Lascelles St.
“She had fractured her cheek bone and had damaged her teeth, and when (the council) went and inspected the footpath they had to do an emergency temporary fix of 50 locations on the one street.
“Why is it taking people to sustain serious injury? The council is not putting enough money into basic maintenance.
“It just highlights the need for people to start focusing on the suburbs again.”
Cr Cassidy said the issue received “piecemeal funding” because “footpaths aren’t exciting”.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the Deagon Ward had been provided with $500,000 of funding and had chosen to undertake just one footpath project in the last 12 months.
A further submission was made to provide an additional funding boost of $250,000 to each ward this financial year, to be invested in footpaths or parks.