Community Connect is a long-term council-sponsored project to connect the two villages of Kioloa and Bawley Point via a 2-metre-wide shared foot/bicycle path.
Current. (Racecourse to Mudholes)
HISWAY plans to pour the first few hundred metres of concrete path before Christmas.
Expected completion of the current section from mid to end of February, weather permitting. The delayed start in November was primarily due to the council’s roadwork in the area.
Submissions for the next section to Kioloa closed on the 5th of December. The council had six tenders.
The relevant council supervisors will evaluate the tenders by the 16th of December and recommend by the 20th of December. It then goes to the CEO’s office for approval, likely by mid to late January 25.
Background.
On Friday, 23 July 2021, Council(Troy Punnet) and John Nelson agreed with the revised plans for Stage 2, Sand Mines to Racecourse Caravan Park.
On 12 August 202, the1 Council provided indicative milestones for the completion of this project:
– Design and all documentation completed/received – End August 2021
– Release date of Tender request for the work – End October 2021
– Prospective date of contract award – End January 2022
– Prospective date for project start – End February 2022
– Estimated project duration – 12 weeks
By 2018, 1.4 and 1.8 kilometres of shard footpath had been laid in Kioloa and Bawley Point, respectively. This work was completed by community volunteers, with Council providing the funding for the concrete and ancillary products needed to complete the work.
In 2013 the Community Association, encouraged by the then Mayor Jo Gash put forward the concept of connecting the two settlements which constitute this coastal village ie Kioloa and Bawley Point. At the end of 2017, the section from Voyager Crescent to Sand-Mines approximately 750 metres was completed. Also at the end of that year, Ann Sudmalis before she left office as the local member for the federal seat of Gilmour, secured funding for completion of the section from Sand-Mines to Racecourse Caravan Park. Those funds need to be expended by Oct 2022.
A revised survey from Sand Mines to Kioloa has been completed to make provision for the future widening of Murramarang Road.
The Ulladulla Office of Council has taken control on this project as part of the Council’s reorganisation and the Chief Engineer is working towards letting a tender for the work from Sand Mines Carpark to Racecourse Caravan park as soon a resources allow.
This section of the project is seen as critical because of safety concerns occasioned by the bends in the road and the narrow roadside verge.
Troy Punnet, Chief Engineer, met with Barrie Ellis on Wednesday, 28 April 202,1 to discuss broad timing to complete Stage 2; Sand Mines to Racecourse Caravan Park. Based on subsequent discussions in June 2021 the timings have changed to:
* Early July 2021, receive final design documents for the whole route SandMines to Kioloa
* July/August 2021, prepare and issue a tender
* August/September 2021: evaluate and select a prime contractor
* September/ October 2021 commence the project
* Achieve 50% completion by June 2022
No volunteer work can ensue until the final route plans are agreed and COVID-19 conditions in NSW make it safe to work.
Community Connect is managed by a sub committee of the BPKCA chaired by Barrie Ellis.
Below is the Mayor opening Stage 1, Voyager Crescent to SandMines in March 2019.
