Julia Beckett
07 November 2024, 7:51 PM
Swimmers will not be able to use the Normanville pontoon this summer, with District Council of Yankalilla rejecting community funding to repair and reinstall it.
The popular feature was first installed in the waters near the jetty off the Normanville foreshore for the summer of 2018-19. Safety concerns following storm damage meant the council did not put the pontoon into the sea last summer.
A report to the council said it could be repaired and reinstalled for the 2024-25 summer season at a cost of $9,000 more than the $5,000 allocated in the annual budget for seasonal installation and removal.
The Yankalilla & Normanville Progress Association spearheaded a community campaign to raise funds to meet the funding shortfall, exceeding the $9,000 target in 10 days.
A special council meeting on Tuesday 5 November voted to not proceed with repair and reinstallation of the pontoon due to the projected ongoing annual maintenance costs of around $11,000.
A spokesperson for the Yankalilla Normanville Progress Association says the funds raised will be returned to the people who donated if the money was not accepted by council.
The council has yet to update information about the pontoon on its website, with the last update, published in January 2024, saying it was working hard to get it back in the water as soon as possible.
Details of the special meeting are available on the website.