Message from the TCC President

Our first meeting for 2015 on 3rd February was very well attended and I’d like to thank the folks from Lanyon who came along to have their say about the closure of Tharwa Drive in early January. Ministers Joy Burch and Mick Gentleman came to hear about the community’s concerns as did our other Brindabella MLAs Nicole Lawder, Andrew Wall and Brendan Smyth. It was very pleasing to have them all at the meeting. The ESA Project Manager Dr Mark Doverty explained to the meeting the unusual circumstances that required the short-notice closure of Tharwa Drive and that was followed by a fruitful question and answer session. There was certainly some lessons learned and a motion was passed calling on the Govt to review road access in and out of the Lanyon Valley to ensure that there were sufficient routes to cope with any emergency situation without causing a major traffic bottleneck.

There was also a high level of interest in the other items presented on the night. Namely, the project being undertaken by UC Town Planning students to liven up Tuggeranong Town Centre and the new Erindale Neighbourhood Garden project.

The TCC is continuing to oppose the Light Rail project. Minister Corbell has recently announced that the tenderers will be asked to include the costing of an option to extend Stage 1 from Civic to Russell. While this will certainly increase the daytime patronage, it will also add perhaps another 20% to the cost. Since the huge cost is largely the reason the TCC is opposing the project, this option will just make the situation worse! You are going to have to pay for this extravagance so let your MLAs and the Govt know that you’re not happy to have your money squandered on projects we don’t need and can’t afford.

Our next meeting is upstairs in the Tuggeranong Southern Cross Club on Tuesday 3rd March starting at 7.30pm. Our guest speaker is Justin Foley, the Program Manager for the ACT Basin Priority Project. This project is aimed at improving water quality in ACT’s lakes and the Murrumbidgee River system. He will be specifically talking about the range of possible projects that could improve the water quality in Lake Tuggeranong. This is an important project and I hope to see you at the meeting.

Eric Traise

TCC President