Reece talks river

The Yarra River Business Association (YRBA) was given a presentation by Cr Nicholas Reece last month on the City of Melbourne’s draft city river strategy.

Addressing members at the July luncheon at Left Bank on July 12, council’s chair of planning gave an insight into what council had proposed in the strategy as part of its long-term vision for the Yarra River/Birrarung.

As to be expected, businesses were mainly interested as to how the strategy would help open the precinct up to greater activity on and along the river. The team at Yarra Pools, which has long proposed to construct a pool at the turning basin near Enterprize Park, also quizzed Cr Reece on whether its idea was being seriously considered as part of the final plan.

Public consultation on the draft strategy has now closed and the final report is expected to go before councillors at the Future Melbourne Committee in the coming months.

Earlier in his address to the YRBA, Cr Reece also raised the perennial issue that has plagued Southbank for many years; trucks carrying placard loads along City Rd.

Cr Reece’s comments, in which he said he was keen to act on banning large trucks from using City Rd, were picked up by The Herald Sun in a follow-up story published on July 18.

While there is a strong desire for a solution to the issue, which is the result of larger trucks being banned from using the Domain Tunnel and diverted via City Rd and Power St, Southbank Local News has learned many times that there is no quick fix.

Due to safety and animal welfare concerns for trucks carrying petrol or livestock, for example, VicRoads doesn’t permit larger vehicles using the tunnel. However, it is understood that discussions surrounding modifications to larger trucks and changed traffic conditions are forming part of the current pitch to the roads authority in an effort to get the vehicles off City Rd. Watch this space!