Penrith City Council has defied the State Government tonight by voting to lobby for an entirely new design for the Nepean River Green Bridge.
Councillors said that the current options put forward by the RMS do not meet the design brief that the bridge must be an iconic structure for Penrith.
“The message we will send to the local member and RMS and Department of Transport will be that we want the bridge to be iconic and that the future of rowing to continue as a viable sport on the Nepean River,” said councillor Ross Fowler.
The decision was made after a convincing presentation by Penrith Rowing Club President, Fiona Toose, who said that their club was not adequately consulted and that the RMS designs for the Green Bridge would seriously impact the multi-million dollar sport.
“The Nepean River is known world wide as the best rowing stretch in the world… why build one icon but destroy another,” she said.
Council have resolved to ask the State Government to review funding for the bridge if a suitable design that accommodates the rowers cannot be achieved.
But this latest twist could put the project in some doubt, as there is a strict $20 million commitment from the State Government.
