Public banned from Black Swan Lake once it becomes car park and horse training area

THE fill-in of Bundall’s Black Swan Lake is imminent. But now a decision has been made about when people will be allowed back onto the site.

RESIDENTS and ratepayers will not be given immediate access to Black Swan Lake once it is filled in by the Gold Coast Turf Club.

Emails obtained by the Gold Coast Bulletin show national landcare ambassador Naomi Edwards wrote to the Mayor and councillors in November 2016 to voice her disgust about the decision to fill in the lake to enable a car park and horse facilities to be built.

“We have Park n Ride facilities for major events. Access to urban open space is of more value and supports the City’s corporate plan,” she wrote.

On the Mayor’s behalf, his chief-of-staff Wayne Moran wrote back about the costs of maintaining the “borrow pit” and to “correct a few misconceptions”.

The fencing around Black Swan Lake. Photo by Richard Gosling

“Specifically, the area in question is not being converted into a concrete or bitumen carpark, but instead into open green space-recreation parkland, which will be available for members of the public to utilize during non-event times,” Mr Moran wrote.

But the Gold Coast Bulletin has become aware that Councillor Peter Young later asked CEO Dale Dickson several Questions on Notice including whether the area would be made available to the public during non-event times.

Mr Dickson wrote back: “This publicly owned land will not be accessible to the public generally for free sport, recreation and leisure, and possibly for community events.

“It would be a matter for the Turf Club to determine whether public access upon the area will be permitted and if so on what terms and conditions.

“Facilities will not include features such as children’s playground equipment, informal sports fields and ancillary public conveniences.

“The public would not be allowed to freely access and use the land when the horses are being exercised, or when the area is being used for car parking for events.”

Residents have left signage calling for the lake to be saved. Photo by Richard Gosling

Cr Young yesterday said the response indicated the Turf Club intend for the area “to be used for horse exercising a considerable amount of the time”.

The Bulletin requested comment from the Turf Club but a reply was not obtained before deadline.

As residents yesterday prepared for trappers to remove animals from the lake, Mayor Tom Tate at lunchtime left them with a message.

On his Facebook page the Mayor posted a photograph of himself eating eel at a sushi restaurant in Southport.

A Bulletin report had revealed the details of independent scientific tests which showed the water quality in the lake had been improving and it was not a toxic cesspit.

But Cr Tate said the biggest threat to the swans was the eels “taking” their young.

Some of the fencing around Black Swan Lake. Photo by Richard Gosling

“So I recommended to the greenies that the best thing that they do was eat some eel for lunch — I’m doing my bit for the swans at Sushi Train Southport, eating some lovely eel for lunch,” he said.

The comments immediately split readers, who either gave the Mayor total support or strongly criticised him.

“Just an awful and tasteless gutter statement. The biggest threats to these swans is clearly you,” a resident wrote.

But another resident backed the Mayor adding “maybe some Greenie Eel, deep fried with sweet dipping sauce”.