Since April 2021, 3 walking/cycle bridges in Umbagong District Park, Latham ACT have been repeatedly closed without being repaired. The lack of communication and stalled action from the ACT Government has caused the local communities great frustration. 

Our local communities have been unable to access large areas of nature reserves during Covid-19 lock downs and school holidays, and have already waited since early 2021 to get this resolved.

Correspondence with ACT Government indicates that the bridges must all be replaced as they are reaching their end of life, and that an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) is occurring over Spring and Summer 2021.

To date the bridge repairs/replacement has been mismanaged and poorly communicated to residents. We are concerned that repairs will remain incomplete unless community involvement demonstrates the importance of these bridges to us.

The Umbagong Bridges Community Action Group is calling on the ACT government to address the following:

1.     Have the Minister provide an update on the Environmental Impact Assessments that were to happen over spring and summer for replacing the bridges. We call for the assessment by end of February 2022.

2.     Immediately undertake minimal repairs to make all three bridges safe for public use and maintain the safety of the bridges until the EIA is completed and all bridges are replaced.

3.     Complete the replacement of the 3 bridges by April 2022 - 1 year after the closing the initial bridges.

4.     For the following community groups, Umbagong Bridges Community Action Group, Ginnenderra Catchment Group and local indigenous groups to be included and regularly updated.

We are asking all locals to politely and respectfully engage with ACT Government to help us get this resolved.