ARARAT Rural City Council will consider a petition to keep the entire road at Green Hill Lake open to vehicle traffic.
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The petition was presented to council at its April meeting on Tuesday.
The document received 160 signatures in favour of keeping the entire reserve open.
It opposes a council plan to install a gate to block cars from accessing one end of the road.
Green Hill Lake Development Board representative Morris Allgood said it was common sense to keep the road open.
“It would be a winning situation for business in Ararat,” he said.
“It would bother us if we couldn’t have vehicle access.
“I have just been out there now and there is a disabled bus using the toilet block.
“If they close it off they won’t be able to use it.”
The survey was first presented at a a council assembly earlier this month.
Council staff will now formulate a response to be presented at the next council meeting.
Ararat mayor Paul Hooper said there was no intention to close any part of the reserve to either foot traffic or cyclists.
“We were given the petition at a public meeting three weeks or so ago,” he said
“That petition was received last night.
“We went to public consultation about the potential of closing a portion of the reserve off, by closing a gate across the road.”
Cr Hooper said the plan initially started as a way to curb hoon behaviour at the reserve.
“It was about trying to stop hoon behaviour on a road,” he said.
“There was no thought to impede any pedestrian access or cyclists, or people who take their dog for a walk.
“There is a lot of native glasses out there that have been ripped to shreds.
“It morphed into a much bigger thing than what we had spoken about.”
Cr Hooper said suggestions council was going to build a fence were also untrue.
Council first raised the plan to close part of the reserve at its December meeting.
At the time council surveys said the number of campers at the reserve varied between seven and 11 in the amenity block area, although these figures were disputed by the development board.
The key issue for the board is the effect closing the road will have on campers and for disabled access to the toilets.
Mr Allgood said on April 5 that the lake reserve had been developed for the people of Ararat.
“It should be developed and maintained more by council, rather than simply closing a very large part of it for no real reason,” he said.