The Mayor of Hawkesbury, Councillor Barry Calvert, has announced today that the online survey he commissioned last week on the 1874 Windsor Bridge has produced some very positive preliminary results.
Of the 1194 people who have responded so far, 1022 have voted that we should keep the old Windsor Bridge.
Mayor Calvert had predicted that 80% of the residents would vote to save the bridge but the results are actually higher than that with 85.7% of residents voting to save our historic bridge.
“This is a very strong result that confirms what our residents actually want,” Mayor Calvert said.
“I have written today to Robyn Preston, State Member for Hawkesbury to make her aware of how her constituents feel about our historic bridge and I will be asking her once more to delay the demolition of the bridge so that the community can put together a long-term management plan.”
Councillor Calvert believes that the survey results demonstrate that most residents were not aware that the construction of the new bridge also meant that the old bridge would be demolished.
“All the previous community discussion centred around the location of the new bridge and the need for a bypass,” the Mayor said.
“Very little discussion occurred about the proposed demolition of the old bridge and many people I have spoken to recently were surprised and shocked to find out that the Local Member and the NSW Government were about to completely destroy such a significant part of our local heritage.
“There is a clear message for Robyn Preston here. The people of Hawkesbury want to keep their historic bridge! Ms Preston must step up now and deliver for her constituents.”
Windsor Bridge Survey
You can still complete the Windsor Bridge Survey on Your Hawkesbury Your Say at www.yourhawkesbury-yoursay.com.au/windsorbr on whether you would like to Save Windsor Bridge – Yes or No.
Council is conducting the survey as part of community consultation that we believe the State Government should have done a long time ago. Such consultation about the demolition of the historic Windsor Bridge has been seriously lacking.
Hawkesbury City Council supports saving our historic Windsor Bridge. We are asking the State Government to immediately stop the demolition of the old Windsor Bridge and conduct a proper public consultation about the bridge’s future.
