We are nearing the completion of our detailed assessment and responses to all submissions received during the consultation period.

We apologise that this is taking some time and our Community Engagement Report will be published here as soon as possible. If you elected to be kept up to date, you will receive a direct email when the report is available.

A key theme arising from the feedback has been the question of golf buggy use on Scotland Island. The responsibility of registration and operational use for golf buggies on Scotland Island ultimately lies with Transport for NSW (Transport). As such, we are working with Transport regarding conditional registration of golf buggies and are waiting on their resolution of this matter. Transport have indicated an outcome by end of June 2023. Council are yet to receive this advice.

Transport's decision regarding golf buggy use and other feedback received may alter the final design considerably.

What happens next?

In the coming months we will:

• finalise the Community Engagement Report and revise concept plans excluding Park Entry (vehicular turning and parking area) (Stage 1)
• publish the Community Engagement Report and exhibit revised concept designs (Stage 1) for public comment
• prepare concept plan for Park Entry (Stage 2) for further stakeholder and community consultation, contingent upon Transport for NSW decision.

Catherine Park is a treasured and important community open space with an idyllic north facing protected aspect and flat grassed open space overlooking Pittwater.

The park is a unique site which is highly valued for its environmental, social, and scenic qualities by local residents, day visitors and tourists. It offers a diverse range of active and passive recreation and community activities.

We have been working closely with key internal and external stakeholders, and Scotland Island Residents Association (SIRA), to prepare a draft landscape improvements plan that considers all issues and recommendations raised.

Our aim is to enhance the park’s function and amenity whilst maintaining the open space landscape character by:

• improving the amenity and management of existing facilities
• improving the arrival experience to Catherine Park
• managing vehicles (buggies) to improve pedestrian access & safety
• managing water craft storage and improving access to water
• improving pedestrian connections to the park and between existing community buildings to provide a more cohesive outdoor community space
• enhancing existing foreshore and open grassed areas to cater for a range of recreational activities and community events
• investigating and implementing appropriate treatments to address drainage issues in the park

Community feedback helps us understand what is important to the park's users. The draft concept plans as exhibited can be viewed below.

Public exhibition of the draft plans ran from 18 November 2022 to 29 January 2023 and received 60 submissions.

All comments are treated as public documents and made available on request. They are also included verbatim in our Community Engagement Report.

Drop-in sessions

We held two drop-in sessions on Scotland Island so that the community could come and talk to the project team and hear more about the proposed landscape improvements.

We were on site on Sunday 27 November for a morning session and Thursday 1 December for an afternoon session.