THE community of Karuah came together last week at a meeting of the Karuah Progress Association to voice their needs and concerns.

Karuah sits within Port Stephens Councils Central Ward, where residents are asking for footpaths and safer spaces, and they, like other communities within Port Stephens, would like to see Council invest in a 7 Day Makeover for the community.

They are seeking improvements in basic infrastructure such as pathways, improved roads, accessibility and safety.

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Leah Anderson, Mayoral Candidate for Port Stephens told News Of The Area, “Our team headed up to meet the Karuah Progress Association this week.

“We were greeted warmly by a group of like minded community members who are actively working to meet the needs of the people of Karuah.

“When you hear of a community who gets out and mows their own council strips, paints old and tired bus shelters themselves, in an effort to make their town look better, it tells me this community cares so much for their town, but they need more support from Council.”

“We will continue to listen to the needs, and work hard for the people of Karuah to deliver better outcomes,” said Anderson.

Fred McInerney, President of the Karuah Progress Association said the priorities for the community are mostly around amenity and safe pedestrian access.

He believes that developers should have to put footpaths in around new developments as a condition of the DA approval process.

“We are currently working on a couple of projects including redoing the mural underneath the bridge which we are currently planning and we have already got the funding in place to go ahead with this,” said Fred McInerney.

He is very pleased that the Karuah Progress Association has undergone some rejuvenation recently, with younger people and particularly young mothers now on the committee.

The association is actively fundraising so that they have seed money for projects and can access grant funding.
They are hoping to run a BBQ at the Timber and Oyster Festival as a fundraiser once again.

The next meeting of the Karuah Progress Association is on 23 June at 7.30pm if you would like to attend please RSVP on the Facebook event.

By Marian SAMPSON