Dunbogan residents have announced their intention to vote for candidates at the 2021 council elections who support the completion of the Beach to Beach (B2B) pathway project.
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The council elections will be held on September 4.
Residents gathered for a rally on July 20 to discuss the community driven project which proposes a 11km continuous shared pathway between North Haven breakwall and Pilot Beach in the Camden Haven.
Members were encouraged to only vote for election candidates who give support to finish the project, which has been underway for the last two decades.
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Dunbogan residents of four years, Roy and Bonnie Davies said they have waited years for the project to be completed.
"We're very worried about the narrow part of the road that have no footpaths. It's a danger for tourists, adults, children and cyclists," Mr Davies said.
"We go for a walk several times a week, we have to look over our shoulders because there are several places where there is no footpath. I'm worried we will be run over one day.
"I'm totally blind and I cannot get out by myself because it's too dangerous without a footpath. I'd love to be able to walk into town with a guide dog but it's just too dangerous without a path," Mrs Davies said.
"There are also people who are forced to ride on the road with motorised scooters and kids on bikes."
Camden Head resident Laurie McDougall said tragically it could take a death in the community to finish the project.
"Unfortunately it's going to take an incident or death for people to realise something has to be done about the current situation," he said.
"We are seeing children cycling and walkers strolling along the streets because there is no room or path.
"As traffic increases in Dunbogan the situation has become quite urgent, it's nerve-racking knowing what could likely happen."
The first sections of the pathway were constructed earlier in 2003 as a partnership between community, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council and the state government, on the Laurieton side of the Camden Haven Inlet. Several remaining sections of the pathway still need completion.
B2B president Penny Small gave a speech at the gathering, advising residents to vote for a community representative who would support completing the project.
"We have been told of various near-miss accidents on the roads, it's quite harrowing," she said.
"There should be pathways accessible to anyone, with any level of movement. So we encourage everyone to email people they know and vote for the representatives in the council elections who support the project.
"The frustrating thing is that we as a community group shouldn't exist. The community shouldn't have to campaign for decades to get this kind of project done.
"A project that will improve safety and accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists, a safe pedestrian access between schools, shops, and community centres, and an important tourism asset."
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