Lismore lake pool, potholes and public toilets make up Lismore’s public ‘eyesores’

Lismore has no shortage of ugly eyesores, ripe for updating. Here are the worst of them, suggested by you, and the latest on their progress.

Lismore has an abundance of vibrancy and culture but it’s hard to deny there are also some eyesores that have seen better days.

The Northern Star asked you what the city’s biggest blights on the landscape were.

Here’s are just a few of your suggestions and what the latest news on them is:

Lismore Lake Pool

Status: Expressions of interest for lease

It was once the delight of Northern Rivers children and adults alike but in the decades since it closed, it has become a slimy sight to see.

Lismore City Council decided to close the pool in 2011 after mounting maintenance costs made it unviable.

In October last year councillors resolved to seek expressions of interest from community groups to take over management.

In April, Councillor Bill Moorhouse raised the idea of extending the brief to encompass the entire lake precinct though Councillor Neil Mark said that may put people off.

Earlier this month an expression of interest tender was made available to the public for the lease/licence of the Lismore Lake.

The expression of interest will assess if there are any legitimate parties within the community who would be willing to enter into a lease or licence with Council and provide a recreational facility to members of the public.

Submissions will close at 2pm on October 29.

Lismore City Council announced an upgrade of the Oakes Oval public toilets as part of the $12M sporting ground upgrade.

Public toilets

Status: Work completed

One Lismore resident who answered our shout out deemed Lismore’s public toilets “absolutely disgraceful”.

There has been a lot of talk about how crappy (excuse the pun) local toilets are but work has been undertaken this year to improve some of them.

In February, Lismore City Council announced the demolition of the existing amenity block on Dawson St to make way for brand new facilities.

The new toilets were part of the $12 million state-of-the-art facility which linked two key CBD sporting grounds.

The public toilets were also one of three amenities blocks located throughout the Oakes Oval and Crozier Field precinct.

In 2019, Lismore City Council also undertook a study and review for management of accessible public toilets.

Lismore roads are suffering pothole fever after recent weather events.

Roads / Pothole repairs

Status: Limited development

Roads are one of the most significant bugbears for Lismore residents, with extreme weather events exacerbating the problem over the past year.

In the annual Our Roads outlook, Lismore City Council said they do not have the funds to undertake a $89 million rebuilding program, and could only commit to limited temporary pothole repairs for many roads.

About 140km of our sealed roads are in Condition 4 (poor) or 5 (very poor), the report estimated.

The July report said limited funding restricted which roads could be improved meaning “without a significant amount of funding from Government or another source, it is likely that a large portion of our worst sections of road will remain in that condition.”

However, council did say they would continue emergency and temporary pothole repairs.

31 roads and bridges were also designated for reconstruction in the 2021/2022 financial year, thanks to a combination of NSW and federal government funding.

Getting personal

Facebook readers also commented with many options that were more of a personal opinion:

Linda Fenwick: That stupid XMAS TREE!!! Straighten it up!!

Matt Goldsworthy: That giant half boat skeleton in the middle of town no one asked for it or wanted it

Veronica Sartori: Some of the roundabout gardens that used to be lovely and are now neglected and becoming ugly.

Wendy Janezic All the lovely old buildings need a spruce up, the riverbank cleaned up and make walkways along the riverbank

Reagan Friederich: The amount of closed shops in the CBD.

Ky Wraight: The Eshays

Reader Susan Healy Felsch also left this comment which we should all remember at the end of the day:

“But on a positive - Lismore’s people, are the best, salt of the earth inhabitants,” she said.