The City of Ryde has become the first Parramatta River Catchment Group Council to launch a new beach activation site along the Parramatta River foreshore, with new steps at Putney Park now complete.
In a statement, Council said the new steps contributed towards the Parramatta River Catchment Group’s progress for making the site – and Parramatta River – swimmable by 2025.
The project also delivers on Council’s commitment under the Greater Sydney Commission’s North District Plan for providing greater foreshore activation and accessibility for our future community.
City of Ryde Mayor, Jerome Laxale said the steps would prove to be popular with the community as COVID-19 restrictions gradually ease and summer approaches.
“During this term of Council, we have made it a priority to make Parramatta River more open for the community, and these beautiful looking sandstone steps at Putney Park achieve exactly that,” Mayor Laxale said.
“Combined with other major projects such as the extension of the Ryde River Walk and the construction of a new in-river seawall at Bennelong Park, Council believes that the Parramatta River belongs to everybody, not just those fortunate enough to live on it.”
Councillor Penny Pedersen, who is Vice Chair of the Parramatta River Catchment Group, said the new access to the beach area at Putney Park was an important milestone toward a new activation zone for all ages, a place to rest, to meet and a possible swim site for the future.
“Surveys have found that our community are very keen to swim in designated areas of the Parramatta River and both Council and the Parramatta River Catchment Group are working hard to make that a reality,” Cr Pedersen said.
“Guided by the Parramatta River Masterplan, we not only continue our work on making sections of Parramatta River a world-class swimmable river, but also encouraging sediment control, reducing stormwater run-off, improving overflows and maintaining the overall health of the river.”
While the steps at Putney Park are open to the public, swimming is currently prohibited at the site while water quality is being assessed.
