RE: The councillor-supported slalom course at Ben Chifley Dam (Bathurst Council Agrees To Write Letter Of Support For Slalom Course, Western Advocate, November 24).
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This quiet part of the dam is used by people who fish away from the often hectic main basin area of the dam Is council seriously going to benefit 50 slalom skiers to the detriment of hundreds of people in the fishing fraternity?
Can council please explain why over all these years the river section has been an 8 knot zone and now all of a sudden that is not important?
What sort of erosion / sediment and riparian zone studies have been done? Were these issues not the reason why the existing 8 knot zone is in place or are there other reasons?
I know of many a water ski enthusiast who has had a sneaky ski in this section of river (including myself) in the past and it's brilliant!
However, to allocate the section of river on a permanent basis for sole use by a club of specialist users is, 1, very exclusive to the community and, 2, bank subsidence and a reducing water quality will be evident quickly due to the concentrated boat activity in a confined section of waterway.
I fish and I ski and, like many other boat owners, I have made a substantial investment so I can do one or the other, or both if i wish. I am a stakeholder with a foot in both camps and what council has agreed to support is not the right decision or the right location.
