Club is asked for $300,000

The need to find funds to complete work on Ettalong foreshore has prompted Gosford Council to approach the Ettalong Beach Club for $300,000 it claims the club had agreed to contribute.

Council's acting director of city services Mr Brian Shackleton said council was yet to receive any of the funds he said were specified in an agreement made by the club in 1998.

"In 1998, the council agreed to take action to rezone the land and the club agreed to make a contribution of $300,000 to be used for foreshore improvements," Mr Shackleton said.

"The deed provided that the contribution is due when funds have been provided by council to complete the works.

"Council has yet to receive any of the contribution agreed to by the club.

"Council will continue negotiations with the club and has resolved not to take legal action."

It is understood that the agreement was time-limited, and had expired some time ago.

Mr Shackleton said "a substantial amount" of money was required to complete the foreshore works.

They would be completed as funding became available, he said.

"Sources of funding for these works will include grant funding and capital works funding," Mr Shackleton said.

"Council recently received grant funding from the Department of Environment and Climate Change which is a 50/50 grant.

"These funds will be used for the design of the foreshore stabilisation and will cost approximately $90,000."

Council's coordinator of parks, playgrounds and foreshores Ms Kim Radford said council officers had been actively seeking grant funding to complete the remaining two of three viewing platforms planned for the area.

"To date, we have been unsuccessful with these applications," Ms Radford said.

"We have completed some works around the town beach precinct and there is currently a 12-month bushcare contract underway."

Meanwhile, the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce president Mr Matthew Wales said the chamber remained in "strong support" of the adopted Ettalong Beach Foreshore Management Plan.

"As a key participant in the formulation of the plan, the chamber has a considerable interest in seeing all the work completed as soon as possible," Mr Wales said.

"The recent completion of the viewing platform at the eastern end of The Esplanade has been a huge success.

"The reaction from visitors to the area has been extremely positive."

Council agenda COR.C16, 2 Mar 2010 Media statement, 5 Mar 2010 Alison Hood, Gosford Council Press release, 5 Mar 2010 Matthew Wales, Peninsula Chamber of Commerce