The fight goes on for Frost St underpass

The Euroa Frost Street community advocacy group vows to continue its fight against the closure of its pedestrian underpass despite Strathbogie Shire Council’s rejection of a call to reverse its June decision at last week’s meeting. Community members attended last week’s council meeting armed with a petition of 833 signatures and a strong plea for the reinstatement of the Frost Street pedestrian underpass in the Inland Rail Project scope. Frustrated with the lack of community consultation prior to the council’s decision in June, the group says it is “campaigning for a community voice that was not sought, therefore not heard” as part of its ramped up media campaign launched on 20 August. Following the council meeting, group member and concerned resident Colleen Furlanetto took to the airways on ABC Radio ABC Goulburn last Thursday morning and with fellow group members appeared on WIN television news that evening. The campaign includes the newly launched “Frost Street Pedestrian Underpass Petition 883 and Rising” Facebook page. When three of the community group members met with the Euroa Gazette last week, they were sporting badges promoting their cause and a deep conviction that the underpass should remain as a separate part of infrastructure to the Inland Rail station precinct. As a person with lived disability experience, Ms Furlanetto, believes the removal of the Frost St underpass which has existed for 60 years will disadvantage many older residents and others with limited mobility and health conditions if forced to use the new railway station underpasses. “The extra distance will be a barrier,” she said. “We believe everyone deserves safe and accessible pathways and choice." Ms Furlanetto said the underpass was embedded in council’s own strategies and policies and in its scope up to the 17 June decision. According to the group the Frost St underpass was removed from scope in exchange for $350,000 cash seed funding for future rail precinct beautification. This led to the group asking how a decision could be reached without consulting those directly impacted. The issue remains with the loss of two pedestrian access options being the Frost St underpass and the Birkett St boom gate crossing now marked “No pedestrian access.” “We are being funnelled through a narrow corridor like a sheep, via stairs, lifts, and paths, none of which meet the needs of all community members,” said Ms Furlanetto. The advocacy group claims that there is still some confusion following the latest council meeting where the shire stated it was not their project, and no further discussion will be undertaken. “How did they have the power to remove the underpass from Inland Rail Project, which is not theirs in the first place,” the group asks. During construction of the other underpasses, Frost St will serve as a temporary pedestrian route for six to 12 months. The group asks why can’t the underpass remain permanently. Ms Furlanetto said the group wants to engage in respectful and meaningful discourse, while remaining a voice for the community being impacted by this decision. Buoyed by the support of the community, the group is approaching various politicians and other stakeholders in a bid to be heard and to save the Frost St underpass from closure.