William Bay National Park set to be reopened after prolonged delayed work big dilemma for Shire of Denmark
William Bay National Park is scheduled to reopen to the public next month, with the Shire of Denmark desperate to avoid having the park and Lights Beach closed at the same time.
The tourist hotspots of Greens Pool and Elephant Rocks have been off-limits to the public since February, during works to seal roads and create additional parking bays, paths and toilets.
The $4.3 million works to Greens Pool and the surrounding national park have been delayed several times, including after the wash-out of a new road during heavy rain in August.
The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions originally planned for the area to be open in July.
A DBCA spokeswoman said this week it was scheduled to reopen next month, in time for summer.
Shire of Denmark chief executive David Schober said he was waiting for the reopening so the Shire could begin work on upgrades to Lights Beach.
“We will only close Lights Beach once Greens Pool has reopened. As soon as Greens Pool opens we will start work,” Mr Schober said.
“In fact next Tuesday at our council meeting we’ve got the tenders ready for acceptance.”
Mr Schober acknowledged the concerns about the closure of both beaches.
“There has been a bit of alarm about closing the two together, but we are absolutely avoiding that at all costs,” he said.
“It’s really important for our community to have access to beaches coming into the summer months.”
The spokeswoman said fair weather would ensure the park reopened next month, but offered no concrete target date.
“The department is working as quickly as it can to have the site open to the public,” the spokeswoman said.
“As always, safety and quality workmanship remain as the department’s top priority.”
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