Council investigates truck stop for memorial

Report to council takes another look at five-year-old plan to extend South Grafton memorial site.

Families lay flowers and wreaths at the Truck Memorial at South Grafton.

A PLAN to provide parking for trucks behind the current Memorial Wall in South Grafton has been made non-feasible by highway improvements according to a report before Clarence Valley Council.

In 2014, council commissioned a report to investigate the suitability of the parking, for which there was a makeshift track behind the nearby service station.

It has remained on council’s checklist since, and recently council commissioned a new investigation of the site to find out whether it was still viable.

The Pacific Highway upgrade work has removed the makeshift track, and would require the construction of either turning lanes or a U-turn detour to access the entrance.

Families lay flowers and wreaths at the Truck Memorial at South Grafton.

The cost of constructing the hardstand by today’s standards is roughly $800,000, not including extra costs associated with the upgrading of Big River Way.

With no budget, and the significant decrease of truck movement past the site, the report recommended that the item be removed from council’s checklist and no further action taken.

The report was passed unanimously by last week’s council committee, and will be considered by tomorrow’s full council meeting.

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