Council and residents debate over right path to take for street

PENRITH  Council’s vision to boost outdoor recreation in Penrith has triggered a dispute between the council and Nepean Ave residents.

Aaron Bloom, 33, of Penrith runs with his dog, Brutus along Nepean Ave. Picture: Justin Sanson

PENRITH  Council’s vision to boost outdoor recreation in Penrith has triggered a dispute between the council and Nepean Ave residents.

To cope with the popularity of the River Walk, the council plan to add a path on the street, where it claims there are “no suitable pedestrian pathways”.

The announcement was met with resistance.

Resident Josh Vrsaljko collected more than 75 signatures along Nepean Ave, after receiving the news.

“The council put a flyer in our letterbox to tell us they were taking three metres of our road and putting a walkway in. There was no consultation,” Mr Vrsaljko told the Penrith Press yesterday.

He said the proposed path, to start at the old Log Cabin site and extend to the end of the wide street, would do more harm than good.

“(Cars) will only be able to travel down it one at a time and then you will have pushbike riders on the road because they don’t want to hit the pedestrians ... it is just going to be chaos,” he said.

“(Already) between the hours of 7am and 8am and3-5pm there is traffic banked up everywhere trying to get over the bridge.’’

The council organised a meeting to discuss the issue with residents. It was held last Wednesday and about 50 homeowners attended.

Councillor Marcus Cornish was also there and agreed with residents, claiming the path would “not stop people going on the road”, contrary to council’s view it would improve safety.

“Having 50 people there from one street is an incredible response,” Cr Cornish said.

“The people need to be listened to and not have decisions imposed on them.”

Cr Cornish suggested the path be re-routed, to go behind Peachtree Creek and meet up with Tench Reserve, an idea residents agreed with. He said the route would take traffic away from the residential area.

“A lot of people are coming from out of the area, we need to give them a more scenic route to take, a river walk, not a suburban street walk.”

A Penrith Council spokesman said the council would look into the Peachtree Creek option, as well as continue investigating plans on Nepean Ave.

Aaron Bloom mostly does the nine kilometre river run from his Regentville home and goes via Nepean Ave.

Mr Bloom said he felt his street, Factory Rd, presented more danger to those on foot.

“There’s no paths and the road is twice as skinny, and everyone uses that road to get back to Glenmore Park,” he said.

“I have almost been hit a couple of times by cars.”

A Penrith Council spokesman said the council would look further into the Peachtree Creek option, as well as continue investigating plans Nepean Ave.

“There has been no decision for the Nepean Ave route and council will continue to consult with residents, users and the Access Committee on the best way forward,” he said.

Penrith Council said in a statement that the “growth in numbers of people enjoying the Nepean River is set to increase as the community calls on Council to activate the river as an iconic recreational space in Penrith.’’

* Penrith Council said at the meeting the Nepean Ave path would cost about $2 million, Cr Cornish said

* Residents are worried council’s only plans to do it because “they’ve got the money to do it”

* Other routes have been suggested to the council, including via Ladbury Ave