14 OCTOBER 2022
ISSUE 363
News
Administrator adopts design requirements for seawall DAs despite community protest
Construction work on the final stage of Wyong Hospital’s $200M refurbishment will start mid-2023 to provide a cancer day unit, women’s clinics, an Aboriginal Health unit and carer support unit. See page 5
Out&About
. See page
The Central Coast Lakes Festival will be back in full swing this November, with the region’s magnificent waterways set to take centre stage. See page 13
In a move likely to increase calls to bring forward council elections, Central Coast Council Administrator, Rik Hart, ignored pleas from the Wamberal community this week and approved design guidelines for homeowners to build private seawalls.
Business
See page 4
Protesters gather outside Council chambers prior to the meeting
One-man campaign to tackle potholes With continuing reports of crater-sized potholes all over the Central Coast, one Saratoga resident has decided to take matters into his own hands. Fed up with multiple potholes along Steyne Rd, Michael Strong has filled the largest of them with road base provided by Kincumber Sand & Soil. “I understand Council has a large area to cover, but I have made repeated complaints,” he said. “I get the standard response
saying Council regularly inspects roads for damage and Steyne Rd has been put on priority. “But with these latest potholes continuing to pose a risk for two-three months now the situation was ludicrous.” Strong bought half a tonne of road base from Kincumber Sand & Soil to begin the repair work, with the company generously donating a further half a tonne. A Central Coast resident for the past 20 years, Strong
moved to Saratoga seven years ago and said potholes had been a constant problem over that time, growing increasingly worse. “Even when Council does do repairs, all they do is dump hot mix into a hole and then sprinkle it with sand,” he said. “Anyone can dump hot mix into a hole. “It needs to be properly tamped down – because they don’t compact it into the hole it washes out as soon as it rains.” A Facebook post by Strong on
October 7 had attracted more than 100 messages of thanks and support within 24 hours. “I didn’t want a pat on the back, but I was blown away by the number of responses showing how many people have the same concerns,” he said. “Cars driving along Steyne Rd from the waterfront are forced to swerve onto the wrong side of the road to avoid these large potholes, creating the very real danger of a collision with vehicles coming the other way.”
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The problem is exacerbated by the number of S bends along Steyne Rd, he said. “I was sick of my car constantly hitting potholes, so I just went out and did something about it,” Strong said. “The road base might not stay there that long with more rain on the way, but I had to do something. “I know it’s not a permanent solution, but it might stop damage to some people’s cars.” Continued page 4
The Central Coast has made the international Green Destinations Top 100 Stories list for the second year in a row, further establishing the region as a global eco-tourism destination. See page 23
Sport
The Central Coast branch of the Disabled Surfers Association (DSACC) returns to Umina Beach on Saturday, November 12, with free volunteer training. See page 32
Puzzles page 18