41 people attended the February MIRRA meeting held on the 4th Feb at RSL Hall in Arcadia, including Cr Ann Maree Greaney & Travis Richards, Manager of Water and Waste Resources.
The President of Men Shed announced that the Club have signed a 5-year lease for their new Picnic Bay premises. However, their move is dependent on finding tradies to renovate the PB building.
Councillor Ann Maree Greaney conducted a question-and-answer session.
Council workers are currently clearing fallen trees. Council is aware of the closed foot- bridge along Sooning Street which has yet to be repaired.
A member stressed the need for Council workers to “correctly “fix the hole at the corner of Kelly and Sooning Streets. The playground at Picnic Bay needs repair.
A West Point resident requested that the West Point Road be fixed properly rather than having to be constantly repaired after heavy rains.
A Nelly Bay resident suggested that Council’s Head of the Island Works team to attend the next meeting. The roads are full of potholes and awash with sand. The “snap, report and solve” method appears not to be working.
A Horseshoe Bay resident called for a proper covered bus stop at the Horseshoe Bay terminus. The speed bump in the vicinity needs repair.
An Arcadian resident asked if a safety traffic mirror was requested for a motorist blind spot at the corner of Appian Way and Hayle’s Avenue, Arcadia.
A Picnic Bay resident said the former green waste site at Picnic Bay was overgrown and full of castor oil plants which had spread into Butler Creek.
A Nelly Bay resident asked about the Reef Assist project and why they were weeding private properties rather than public land and Council owned assets. Cr. Greaney said she would look into it.
Travis Richards, Manager of Water and Waste Resources answered many questions on the disposal of the Wastewater and Sewage in the Picnic Bay area. There are two water treatment plants on the Island. One at Horseshoe Bay is working perfectly. The other Magnetic Island plant has difficulty in disposing the high load of the treated wastewater at Picnic Bay.
The seasonal peaks and troughs of the treatment of wastewater is currently the problem.
Council is currently working on the treated wastewater disposal with the Picnic Bay Golf Course and with MINCA on the use of the land referred to as Lot 2, the waste land located between the Recycling Station and the Golf Course. Council plans is to irrigate between 40 to 60 percent of Lot 2 which Council has a license to do.
There was a clever suggestion that the Island Weeding group could be put to work on Lot 2 to take care of any weed growth from the disposal of regulated irrigation of treated wastewater. Council recognises the importance being able to irrigate Lot 2 during a dry water flow over its five seasonal capacity fluctuations.
Council hopes for a successful outcome through negotiations within three to four months. More opportunities for sewage connections, development and tourism needs in the Picnic Bay area, all hinges on somewhere to dispose of treated wastewater. Travis pointed out that the Picnic Bay treatment Plant was designed to handle much more than its current capacity.
The design for the new toilets at Picnic is completed ready for construction. Travis Richards said Council would conduct a Have Your Say survey on three possible sites. One, at the existing old toilet block, two, at the current temporary toilet in the car park or lastly, use the existing sheltered pavilion site near the bus stop.
Next meeting 4th March 2023 at 10am.