Concrete cancer riddles Bondi
Image: Steel props holding concrete cancer ridden promenade. Photo: Laura Parr
Locals have demanded action from Waverley Council to fix concrete cancer along the Bondi Beach promenade.
Resident group, Bondi Beach Precinct, took photos last June of the tunnels beneath the promenade and the lifeguards’ storage space which shows the area is riddled with concrete cancer.
Concrete cancer refers to the deterioration of concrete when steel reinforcement rust inside; a common problem in salty beachside areas like Bondi.
According to the community group, the steel struts propping up the ceiling in the storage area “fail to restrain the bowing ceiling, and do nothing to decrease the effects from large trucks trundling over the space above.”
Secretary of the Bondi Beach Precinct, Lenore Kulakauskas, said it was bizarre that events such as the Bondi Winter Festival continued to be held on the fragile strip.
“The thing is they stopped traffic going on [the promenade] for a while and now all of a sudden it’s as if it doesn’t really matter anymore,” she said. “There were containers for all that heavy steel and god only knows what.”
Ms Kulakauskas said maintaining the beach itself did not appear to be a priority to Council and was instead considered a non-issue.
“Bondi is promoted, it’s sold… but you know you have to look after the beach, it’s not just about selling it. It’s about actually retaining its value.”
Mayor Sally Betts said Council was aware of the concrete cancer and that it would be fixed.
“The good thing about Waverley [Council] is that we have looked at every one of our assets. We know the condition of every road, every staircase, and every pavement.
“We will fix up all that concrete cancer. It’s a huge job and so we’ll probably do [the tunnels] one by one,” she said.
According to a formal statement issued by Waverley Council the concrete cancer was identified in 2008 and affected three tunnels under Queen Elizabeth Drive.
Council has been undertaking safety inspections every six months and reassured Bondi View that the promenade was structurally sound and posed no immediate safety threats to the general public.
Despite the community group’s concerns for the Bondi lifeguards’ safety, Council said the structures in the lifeguard tunnel allow it to be fully operational.
The tunnels are scheduled for repair in 2014/15 as part of the Council’s Capital Works Program.
