SIR, – Last month I ‘Zoomed’ in on stage one of a Horsham Rural City Council City to River plan meeting.

We were provided with a feel-good rosy picture of this proposal, but what really stood out was the absence of any detail. 

I zoomed in to find out what was going to happen to Horsham caravan park, lawn tennis club, croquet club, Jardwa Apex clubrooms and Horsham angling club. No information was forthcoming.

I believe, with others, that the stage-one committee should disband because it is no use planning stage one without seeing plans for stage two.

If stage two, as predicted, will have a north-south AFL-size oval with surrounding AFL-size crowd facilities, then Hocking Street with its car parking along with parts of Horsham Soundshell would have to be removed – leaving no car parking available for a Firebrace Street café and water feature.

Stage two must be decided first, because it would make much of stage one unviable.  

Other ratepayers and I want to tell councillors they have it all wrong.  

Why do ratepayers have to do what some South Yarra consultant says?

A café and family-friendly area must be at the west end of the caravan park rather than a dead-end street with no parking.  

I know it would require removal of some of Laurie Rudolph’s cobblestones I helped put down, but putting in a sandy beach, barbecues and park benches would enhance the existing water pond and Apex Island. 

Apex clubrooms could also be a storage shed for kayaks, paddleboats, water bikes and so on. 

The rowing club would then be involved, plus public toilets are already there and this café would have more chance of surviving with passing traffic and parking.

The council asked for ideas in our submissions. I cannot see anywhere they have taken public comments onboard.

Neville McIntyre

McKenzie Creek

The entire June 3, 2020 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!