Tweed's harbour revamp on track

Harbour makeover: Work on Jack Evans Boat Harbour is well underway.

Blainey Woodham

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Jack Evans upgrade

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TWEED Shire Council is confident it will be able to deliver part of its $8 million Jack Evans Boat Harbour revitalisation project before Christmas.

A sneak peek at the popular Tweed Heads destination yesterday showed the beginning of some noticeable changes to the previous landscape.

A swimming beach near Twin Towns Services Club has been carved out and the foundations for the boardwalk are in place.

Construction company Multi Span hopes to have the project completed by March next year.

Donning a hard hat and reflective vest, Mayor Warren Polglase yesterday had his first up close and personal look at the redevelopment that has been 15 years in the making.

“This has been in the pipeline for a long time and it's now coming to fruition,” Cr Polglase said.

“It's something I've been passionate about all the time.

“When it is completed, the Jack Evans Boat Harbour revitalisation project will produce an impressive gateway to the Tweed and New South Wales.”

Cr Polglase said he was glad council finally “bit the bullet” to fund the project, saying he was impressed by the work already done.

“It will be a beautiful structure once completed. It will lift the standard of the area,” he said.

“People who live around here will have a magnificent view of a well-presented harbour.”

The mayor was also given a first-hand look at the newly installed underground gross pollutant traps to capture rubbish that would otherwise enter the harbour through stormwater drains.

Rubbish currently collected by the three 50-tonne traps includes plastic bottles, juice poppers, tennis balls and shoes.

The pre-cast concrete traps were installed late last year.

Rubbish will be collected by vacuum trucks up to twice a year.

Trevor “Big Trev” Arbon, who runs a water sport business at Jack Evans, said it was an exciting time.

He said the only downside was the slowdown in his business.

“A lot of people don't know it but I'm still there. I'm going to keep opening during construction. The beach part is still open.”

Funds for the project have come from council, the NSW Department of Planning and the Federal Government.