Ed,

(Re copy of letter sent to Clarence Valley Council)

I recently visited Ferry Park gallery. I was impressed with the gallery itself but was appalled at the condition of the “landscaped” area surrounding the barges.

As a long-term resident of the area, I was embarrassed when “showing off” this iconic location to my visiting friends.

As the “gateway” to Maclean a supposedly “tidy town” the present condition of the area does nothing for the town, in fact quite the opposite. The areas inside the compounds are overgrown and unsightly.

 It is appreciated that the barges are a static display, unfortunately with a limited lifespan, but with little effort and little expense the areas around the barges could be made, at least, presentable with some weed clearing, a little mulching and some other minor landscaping works.

As the entry to Maclean this area deserves better than to be in the neglected, sorry and untidy state that it is now in.

In order to show a little respect to the history of Maclean in particular and to the Clarence in general, Council could do worse than provide a small plaque with a brief history of the vessels on display so that tourists can get a feel of the history of the area.

As a “tidy town”, Council, with little effort and little expense should set an example. The first thing people see when heading into Maclean from the highway is Ferry Park. Ferry Park is an iconic landmark so the grounds as well as the building should be in a condition to reflect the towns’ identity and tidiness.

Council has wasted taxpayers/ ratepayers’ money on many projects, now it should direct some funds to a useful project which would benefit the town and the community in general.

I hope Council will take the foregoing on board and do “something” to tidy up this otherwise unsightly area. The barges should be retained as a reminder of the area’s history. Yes, fence them off for safety’s sake and let them deteriorate gracefully but at least keep the area tidy.

Allan Downton, Gulmarrad