The entire June 23, 2021 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!

SIR, – I again put forward my views on the proposed Firebrace Street Wimmera River café. 

With 20 kilometres of vacant river frontage, choosing an occupied 30-metre site for a café is the most stupid decision Horsham Rural City Council will ever make.

Apparently, it is going to cost $1.7-million to vacate this site and as ratepayers we naturally expect this $1.7-million back from any prospective café builders.  

I am strongly against drought-proofing tanks, a caravan park residence and flat being removed to build this café – especially after a parks and gardens manager told everyone in a stage-two community reference group there is nothing wrong with the drought tank set-up and he was not consulted about their removal.

Caravan park people told me the caretaker residence was adequate and did not know why it was to be removed.

We were continually told these tanks were ugly, but at a CRG meeting were told that when moved 100 metres to a miniature railway site they would not be ugly – because they would be covered in murals and camouflaged with shrubs. Ha ha! Why not put murals on the current tanks, contact local indigenous people to culturally enhance these tanks and make a bush-tucker garden around them as a tourist attraction?

Ratepayers, have you looked at the council’s response to drought?

• Pump from the Wotonga Basin – this basin relies on storm water which does not happen in a drought and would be pumped dry in a month.

• Pump from the Wimmera River – during the last drought the river became so brackish the river water was killing plants rather than saving them. Fresh water had to be carted in to mix in the tanks. If there are no tanks then portable tanks will have to be bought in. 

I have never been negative about a riverside café on Firebrace Street. But if you have a riverside café then build it on the river – half on the bank, the rest on pylons over the river – make it a tourist attraction and a local icon. 

There would be nothing better than to have a caffeine fix on the deck listening to the water lapping the pylons. 

Think about what an opportunity we have here – what better wedding venue, mini-conference centre or party area could you wish for.  That will not happen at a drab venue 30 metres off the river.

Neville McIntyre

McKenzie Creek