A BOMADERRY couple who are one of four slated to lose their homes if the $60 million upgrade of Artie Smith Oval and Bomaderry Sporting Complex goes ahead have taken their campaign to stay to a new level.
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Rod and Kath Evans have erected two signs on their Cambewarra Road property declaring “We are not going” and “If anyone is going it should be Joanna Gash”.
“It’s nothing personal, we just wanted to make a point,” Mr Evans said.
“It draws attention to what is happening to us and certainly the fact we are not in favour of giving up our home.”
Mrs Evans said the couple had met with Kiama MP Gareth Ward over the matter.
They even had an “impromptu meeting” with Cr Gash at a local McDonald’s store.
“We were sitting next to Mrs Gash and I couldn’t help myself. I introduced myself as the people you want to kick out of their homes at Bomaderry,” Mr Evans said.
“She told me it wasn’t the place or the time. All I wanted to do was for her to put a face to the people who this would affect.”
“She told us it might not happen for 20 years. We told her we weren’t happy, we didn’t want to move,” Mrs Evans said.
“So whoever told her we were happy were telling lies.”
“We weren’t threatening in anyway, we just don’t want to lose our home or be forced to move,” Mr Evans said.
The couple will lodge a submission to council objecting to the plan.
“I can see what they [council] are trying to do. I can see the advantages. But why do we have to lose our home for it?” he said.
“I think there are a few other things council could spend money on to fix up now, rather than plan for multi-million dollar major proposal. Things like the change rooms at the Bomaderry Sporting Complex or the Greenwell Point jetty, rather than putting money aside for this.”
The signs have even been featured on Facebook with Mrs Evans saying the support has been encouraging.
“We have shared it and our friends have shared it and a number of people have contacted us regarding what is going on,” Mrs Evans said.
“We just wanted to put our point of view out there.
“We are getting support from people we don’t even know.”
Mr Evans said the signs even have a tie dyed borders as they couple want the protest to be peaceful.
Cr Gash visited the couple on Monday afternoon, speaking to Mrs Evans and asking why the signs had been erected.
“She told me they had been approached by a politician and councillor who said it was my fault,” Cr Gash said.
“They said I could fix it. I explained I was only one vote.
“All I ever wanted to do was see the plan on exhibition.
“No decision has been made. No discussion has taken place.
“It won’t even go to this term of council. It will go to the new council.
“They don’t believe I can’t fix it.”
Cr Gash said she was “pretty hurt” by the signs.
“I can’t make a decision like that,” she said.
“Someone got to them. I can only imagine this was done because council elections are coming up.
“It’s like it is all my fault.
“It’s not me at all. This came as a recommendation from the staff.”