Eve Lamb
It seems the small red pedestrian bridge installed across a public roadside drain on Castlemaine’s Barker Street may be around for a bit longer yet.
Local couple Mike and Adrienne Thorbecke had installed the little red number in recent months but recently received council notification that without the relevant permit, under local law requirements, they would be required to remove the structure by May 12.
The council had received a complaint about the small structure, which features handrails and which the Thorbeckes say they installed both in an effort to improve safety for Adrienne, who has mobility and health issues, and also as a source of aesthetic enrichment for the community.
After the Express last week ran a story about the fact that they would need to get rid of the bridge – or obtain a permit, potentially at significant cost – the couple received an upwelling of community support for the bright red addition to the local landscape.
“We’ve had comments from about 150 people, overwhelmingly supportive,” Mr Thorbecke told the Express this week.
And after further communications with council it now seems there may be at least a temporary reprieve.
“The council have now informed us that we need to apply to the Department of Transport VicRoads for a permit,” Mr Thorbecke says.
“And we’ve been told that the bridge can stay until we get an official response from VicRoads, which may take a very long time.”
The Thorbeckes say they will now be writing to VicRoads and endeavouring to follow the procedures required to lodge an application for a permit enabling their little bridge to remain, while also continuing to communicate with the council as well.
They say at this stage they do not know what cost might be incurred to obtain the requisite permit.
“But I think there’s a bit of grey area around disability and any incursion of additional costs by people with disability,” Ms Thorbecke said.
And so it seems that, for the time being at least, the red bridge on Barker will remain…
