The opening of new facilities on the foreshore has greatly expanded Council’s stewardship role. Public safety, ongoing maintenance and protecting facilities from damage is the responsibility the Inner City Precinct Team. Comprising four lifeguards, one security officer, eight city liaison officers, 18 gardeners, two maintenance officers and two management staff, this Precinct Team is very much Council’s ‘city ambassadors’.
“With the new swimming lagoon open to the public from 6am to 10pm, five barbecue areas and parkland open 24 hours a day, the role of the Precinct Team is crucial to the safe use and amenity of the area,” said Vaughan Davies, Coordinator Precincts.
To assist in the safe management of this public space, the foreshore area is an alcohol free zone and no glass is allowed. The City Precinct Team is also responsible for venues and open space areas along the foreshore that can be hired for events. The new Forgarty Park Performance Facility is available for daytime and early evening entertainment, as well as up to six late night functions each year. With the City side of the Esplanade a popular boulevard of cafes, hotels and shops, traffic calming devices, a reduced speed limit to 50kph, one way traffic and a restriction on heavy vehicles entering the area, have all been introduced by Council. These measures are designed to improve pedestrian safety and parking.
Council’s parking officers are now known as city liaison officers. A greater emphasis on customer service has seen their enforcement role becoming less important. Attired in new uniforms, they are easily identified as city ambassadors, on hand to assist people with directions and a raft of other information.
