Murray Bridge council watch: Dog park time-share scheme abandoned
Plus councillors discuss New Year’s Eve fireworks and a property rates review at their January 2025 meeting.
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Dogs will no longer be allowed off-leash at two Murray Bridge parks after a time-share trial proved unsuccessful.
The city’s council allowed dogs to run free at Avoca Dell Reserve and Tumbella Drive Reserve on a trial basis last year, between certain hours.
But the response from the public was mixed, according to a council survey.
Half of the locals who filled in a survey said they were happy with the idea, especially since dogs would be able to swim in the River Murray.
But 40 per cent of residents were concerned.
Council staff recommended making Tumbella Drive Reserve an off-leash area on a permanent basis, but councillors voted against that idea at a meeting last Tuesday night.
Cr Tom Haig said he had received reports of a small dog being attacked by a larger one, and of dogs being left to “run amok” up Wildens Way after their owners failed to stop them escaping.
He wouldn’t support the off-leash proposal unless a fence were built around the park, he said.
Cr Karen Eckermann also spoke out against the time-share, but only because she believed dog owners needed access to a permanent swimming area.
The council has now spent more than three years hoping to add more dog parks to the four already in operation in Murray Bridge, but has yet to come up with a solution.
A fifth dog park was originally due to be built on the city’s east side in 2024-25.
Council should host more free events like New Year’s Eve fireworks, mayor says
Petitioners had to move heaven and earth to convince the Murray Bridge council to organise New Year’s Eve fireworks in 2024 – so will they have to do so again this year?
CEO Heather Barclay said council staff were still “debriefing internally” after what had been, by all accounts, a successful event.
But Mayor Wayne Thorley was more supportive, saying he hoped the council could host four major, free community events every year: “something interesting and exciting for our community to do at a low cost”.
New Year’s Eve, a resurrected Fringe street party in March and the Glows Festival made three events; a fourth, perhaps in spring, might someday join them.
But it was essential for local businesses to sponsor such large events, reducing the cost to ratepayers, Mr Thorley said.
The city only agreed to stage an NYE event on December 31 at the request of more than 1000 local petitioners.
Rates review is still being reviewed
Murray Bridge property owners will have to wait a little longer to find out whether they will be charged more or less rates in 2025-26.
A recent public consultation suggested that a majority of residents would be in favour of changing the way the council calculates its rates bills.
But councillors voted to delay any decision so they could have more of a think about the implications, since “far too many people would be adversely affected,” as Cr Airlie Keen suggested.
“There are obviously some winners and losers,” Cr Tom Haig conceded.
At present, people are charged an amount which varies based on the value of their property, with a minimum bill of $1151.
Under the proposed model, locals would be charged a lesser amount based on the value of their property, plus a $750 fixed charge.
Ultimately, most homeowners would be worse off, while farmers, industrial property owners and high-end homeowners would benefit.
The council only received 16 responses during the public consultation period.
Whatever the decision, Mayor Wayne Thorley said he wanted it to be final in time for this year’s council budget, due to be drafted by May.
