Pathway construction History
It all started in June 2014, when members of the Wandandian Progress Association agreed to take on the community project of providing a safe pedestrian walkway to link Wandean Road to the school bus stop at the Princes Highway.
The community pathway would provide much needed safe pedestrian and driver access on what has become a very busy and sometimes dangerous road particularly before 9am and after 4pm weekdays due to residents commuting to work, school children being taken to the bus stop, other service provider users and the usual pedestrians. The main danger to both pedestrians and drivers being the approach to the bend in the road nearest the Princes Highway as travelling in an easterly direction in the morning and westerly in the afternoons, the glare restricts both driver and pedestrian visibility.
The committee agreed that the creation of Wandandian’s very first pathway would not only solve immediate safety issues, that is would also provide a safe walking path for many others in the community who would feel safer walking on a dedicated pathway rather than risking their own safety by walking on the edge of the roadway. It was also felt that the pathway would serve as an attraction to new families looking to live and rent in the area and would make it safer for drivers who are unfamiliar with the road as they deliver services, access National Parks and State Recreation areas.
The pathway plan was drawn up and the Project Plan/Review of Environmental Factors (REF) completed by qualified member of the Progress Association, Garry Druett.
Shoalhaven City Council reviewed the plans and gave their approval for the work to commence. The Council has shown a great deal of support for this project and have expressed an ongoing interest in supporting each stage to completion.
The funding requirements for the project were specified in the REF and consisted of the construction of a formless gravel compaction pathway extending for 1 kilometre east of Bollerang Road. The estimated cost for the completion of the pathway is $33,067. This cost does not include the requirement for the timber safety railing that will be constructed along the edges of the natural watercourse located next to the concrete yard entrance.
Stage 1 Completed February 2017
The first 0.5 kilometre of pathway which commences at the corner of Bollerang and Wandean Roads, was completed at a total cost of $18,392, made up as follows:
- Materials only cost of $9,392 (Council approvals – $1,000. Base gravel and capping gravel – $6,500, Excavator Hire – $1,892).
- In-kind support estimated to be worth in excess of $9,000 was made possible by local lads Garry Druett, Richard Eggins and Dave Griffiths who volunteered their time and their light machinery, together with the donation of concrete pipes, signage and project design.
- Financial assistance for this first section of the pathway to be completed came from a Shoalhaven City Council grant of $7000 and a donation from the Wandandian Progress who raised $1,892.00 from a Trash and Treasure Market held in the Hall grounds during August 2016.
The completed section of pathway has already proven its stability during the 350 ml of rain in March 2017, however some small modifications to one section of the pathway are required with the installation of additional drainage pipes which hopefully can be purchased and installed as part of the Stage 2 work due to commence June/July 2017.
The Wandandian Progress Association is delighted with the completion of Stage 1 and has welcomed the additional community support for this project.
So please if you would like to make a donation of materials, or if you would like to make a comment about this project, we would love to hear from you. For more information please contact the Fundraising Committee