There was some good news for the many supporters of retaining Bega’s Dr Evershed Memorial Clock in its current position after passions flared during the debate at the council meeting on Wednesday.
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In a debate at which the public gallery erupted several times, council agreed to repair the clock and get it working at its current location and to defer moving it – but only until the installation of traffic lights at the Carp and Gipps St intersection (as per the Bega CBD landscape masterplan).
BVSC will then ask for an engineering report to confirm the clock could be moved to another location in its present construction.
Anger erupted from the public gallery during the debate forcing council to suspend its meeting on Wednesday afternoon for more than 10 minutes.
Deputy mayor Liz Seckold had previously called for quiet from the gallery but there were calls of “why don’t you listen to the community” and defiant noises when she warned people could be removed from the council chambers.
BVSC had previously heard from Ross Ritchie who said the council must realise that almost no-one wanted the clock moved.
He accused the council of push polling in its internet survey and maintained the corner was not a black spot and that he crossed there several times a day.
Cr Hughes asked him what he would say if the councillors were to agree to move the clock despite the feedback from the community – which also included a petition of over 500 signatures presented to council by Cr Seckold.
In reponse Mr Ritchie said: “No-one can possibly think anyone in Bega wants it moved. I don’t know how anyone could be of that opinion,” at which point the gallery started clapping and cheering.
Wayne Sartori told councillors there were warrants from the RMS about the intersection, some of which related to safety rather than traffic matters.
Cr Hughes foreshadowed a motion that called for identifying the resources to repair the clock with much noise and applause from the gallery.
“Instead of pussyfooting around sometime in the future we should fix it. This has gone so horribly wrong there’s not the money to move it anyway,” he said.
Cr Bill Taylor admitted council had not done a very good job of explaining the matter to the community and said that in due course the movement of traffic along Carp St would increase.
“The clock was placed there as a memorial, but I don’t see how moving the clock to a central position into town would not still honour that person,” Cr Taylor said.
“When it was first installed there were buildings of magnificent structure; that clock looked in its place when pedestrians moved freely in the town. If you look at now it’s against that abomination of Westpac Bank.
“We are trying to enhance the town into the long-term future,” he added, which provoked comments from the gallery including: “Like you did with the fountain.”
It was at this point the gallery erupted and despite Cr Seckold trying to regain order in the chambers, the noise and comments continued, forcing her to suspend the meeting.
When council reconvened, Cr Tony Allen said the council needed to know “whether we need lights at that intersection”.
He added Carp St would get busier and all traffic lights would need to be synchronised. Cr Allen said council needed information particularly about the clock itself and whether it would withstand moving to another site.
“If we are of the mind to move it we need to know it will survive and can be done. It’s the monument that matters, not the location.”
There were further interjections from the public gallery at this point including a loud “Let’s get some bloody common sense.”
Cr Seckold said the clock’s current location was good and confirmed with staff it had heritage value, but queried whether the clock would have to keep moving if the town continued changing.
“As to where it is situated, if you look down there are the hills behind and it’s quite beautiful. The traffic has considerably abated because of the bypass,” Cr Seckold said.
Cr McBain said she was going to vote for moving the clock “but the way of going about this is wrong” and added she was voting against the motion “on the basis that council needs to do this right and do it properly”.
Council agreed that Cr Allen’s amendment to the original motion would stand, which means the clock will be repaired and a report prepared on the effect of moving the clock, while also waiting for the lights to be installed and to see what effect they will have on traffic.
Crs Seckold and Hughes also voted against the amended motion, but it was carried 4-3, with two councillors absent.