Letter adds drive to complete road

By Rebecca Fraser
BERWICK residents have called for answers, not promises, on the fate of Gwendoline Drive.
At Tuesday’s City of Casey Council meeting a letter was presented on behalf of Springfield Ward ratepayers demanding a clear indication of when the stretch of road would be completed.
The unfinished project has angered countless residents in Berwick as just 140 metres in the middle of Gwendoline Drive remains undeveloped, preventing it from becoming a through road.
The letter stated that the road’s completion had been on the council agenda since May 1984 but had still not been brought to fruition.
Angry residents also claimed that in March 2000 the council stated clearly that the deviation (completion of the road) be included in the five-year capital works program.
This has not happened and residents have now vowed to use whatever means available, whether that be the media, letterbox drops or advertising, to bring the issue to public notice.
The letter also asked when the council would come to terms with the fact the road needed to be built now.
It says the council’s decision to built only the two ends would cost ratepayers dearly for its “massive blunder”.
In December, and as reported in the News, Gwendoline Drive resident Barbara Goodier called for the council to be stood down over its handling of the matter and said it was not good enough that the council had finally expressed support for the project.
Ms Goodier said the past should not be forgotten and a clear deadline needed to be set for the completion of the road as a matter of absolute urgency.
Springfield Ward councillor Michael Farley presented the letter to the council on Tuesday and successfully moved that a report come back to the council on the matter at a later date.