Upper Lachlan Council's Infrastructure Naming Policy on exhibition
Residents have welcomed Upper Lachlan Shire Council's new policy for naming walkways, footbridges, parks and buildings but say it's too late to change the controversial naming of Dame Mary Gilmore Bridge.
The draft Infrastructure Assets Naming Policy will soon go on public exhibition for the community to provide feedback, as decided by councillors at their ordinary meeting on February 20.
It aims to provide the community with transparency in the council's decision-making process for naming new infrastructure, as well as to manage conflict of contested names.
The community and council were left divided after the footbridge over Kiamma Creek in Pat Cullen Reserve was named Dame Mary Gilmore with the majority, just eight in favour, and 20 against.
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Upper Lachlan Dame Mary Gilmore Society president and secretary Trevene Mattox and Elaine Delaney were among members who supported the name.
Ms Mattox said it was fine to have a policy now but too late to change the order of events in the naming of the footbridge.
Mrs Delaney said the new policy could save angst in future by providing clarity.
"Today is better than tomorrow and if it's going to be a positive thing then I think yes, do it (create the policy) now," she said.
Malcolm Barlow was a councillor for eight years and said that while the council didn't have a written policy there was a policy in practice.
"It was a well-established and well-accepted practice," Mr Barlow said. "That was: a councillor would come up with a suggestion and then that would be published for 28 days. Then taking into consideration submissions made by the community, a decision would be made."
A frequent visitor to Crookwell, Kevin Summerson had wanted the footbridge to be named after a local sports representative or serviceman.
He welcomed news of a naming policy and said he believed "that any naming of council infrastructure should be inclusive of these wonderful men and women."
"Crookwell has had, and still has, a wonderful hockey culture with both men and women representing Australia. And if I remember rightly, a large number of representatives in many sports as well as military service.
"Most of those have returned and spent their time making the town and surrounding area what it has become."
What the policy means
Under the policy, the council says it will consult with the public when deciding on a name for new infrastructure, excluding roads and streets, and ensure names don't conflict with existing names in use.
A public notice would be published in a local newspaper seeking submissions within 28 days to request proposed infrastructure names.
The council or community can drive the naming of new infrastructure assets as long as they provide diversity of place names within the council area and consist of fewer than 35 characters.
Names of people still active in their service, position or community or offensive names won't be allowed by the council under the new policy.
Names will also need to comply with the Geographical Names Board of NSW Policy.
The policy doesn't endorse renaming infrastructure, however, the council would consider renaming the infrastructure if there was a strong community desire (more than 100 submissions) or if the information provided for naming the asset was found incorrect.
If council received several proposed names a report would be presented to the council setting out the basis of the request, the name or names proposed and details of the justification including historical or local significance.
The public would then have the opportunity to speak for or against the proposed names at the council meeting where the report was raised.
Geographical and environmental features could be given a dual name if there was strong evidence or a pre-existing Aboriginal place name.
Crookwell Walk of Fame
As part of submissions for the Pat Cullen Reserve footbridge, Crookwell Men's Shed suggested a community walk of fame, which included naming the footbridge Crookwell Bridge of Fame.
Despite the Men's Shed's suggested name for the footbridge being knocked back, the council did agree at its November meeting to form a committee to explore the walk of fame.
The idea is to highlight achievements of individuals and sportspersons from Crookwell on Kiamma Creek walkway.
At its recent February meeting, councillor Pam Kensit was nominated to be on the walk of fame committee.
The council will also advertise for community members to join the committee.
Once the committee is formed, it will have three meeting: first to agree on the scope of works, secondly to present concepts and thirdly to report agreed concepts to the council for consideration.
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