Rail trail party plan

By Tania Martin
YARRA Ranges Council has agreed to spend more than $15,000 on a big bash to celebrate the completion of the Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail.
Councillors at a meeting last Tuesday (9 February) agreed to set aside the cash as part of the 2010-11 budget.
They also decided to establish a working party to plan and run the celebrations.
For the past 15 years the trail has undone significant work to upgrade it and return it to its former glory.
In November the contractors for the final piece of the puzzle – the Maroondah Highway Bridge – were signed.
It’s expected work will being in April and will be finished by October.
Billanook Ward councillor Tim Heenen said it was exciting to see the inclusion of the bridge which was taken away in 1976 after the demise of the railway.
“This will be the final chapter in the rail trail,” he said.
Cr Heenan said after years of hard work the trail would finally be finished, and now was the time to start planning for the celebrations.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for not just the shire but to involve the township groups, service clubs and users of the rail trail for them to take ownership of it too,” he said.
“I see this as a landmark event and something to be able to be built on … after the first year we would add to it and it would be fantastic tourism opportunity.”
Cr Heenan said the celebration was also an opportunity to show the State Government what a drawcard the trail was to locals and visitors from across Victoria in a bid to attract more funding for maintenance.
“We will certainly have the State Government wondering why they haven’t put money into this already,” he said.
Chandler Ward’s Cr Graham Warren said there was already a great buzz of excitement over the bridge and the final completion of the trail.
“The traders are particularly excited over another avenue to attract more customers into their townships,” he said.
“This will be a great thing for our shire – people can catch the train from anywhere in Victoria to Lilydale and jump on a bike and see one of the most beautiful parts of the country.”
Cr Warren said there was only one real challenge that remained – the clash between bikes and pedestrians.
He has received a number of complaints from residents about the increased number of bike users on the trail.
“As council we need to understand this issue because it’s going to be at least a 100 per cent increase once this bridge goes in.We need to understand how both pedestrians and bike riders can live in harmony,” Cr Warren said.
“It’s an issue on share trails right around the state and we need to understand the issue and work out how we get through that, but it’s going to be an exciting day when the bridge is finally in place.”
The council last week unanimously agreed to fund a bash to celebrate the event.