COUNCIL: Maryborough river boardwalk will be demolished

THE Maryborough river boardwalk will be demolished after concerns about its safety were raised in yesterday's council meeting.

Councillors voted unanimously to demolish the boardwalk, with councillor Paul Truscott moving an amendment to have the council investigate replacement options through grant funding.

Built about 20 years ago, the boardwalk runs from the Brolga Theatre to Maryborough's Portside Parklands.

But it has been closed for the last two years due safety concerns from the community.

Council documents reveal many of the concrete posts supporting the boardwalk are cracking and cannot provide support, while one has been completely sheared through.

More issues about the timber decking, which is "too small to span across the 1200mm width of the boardwalk" have been highlighted by engineers.

"The central joist is unsupported and undersized, the edge joists are also undersized," the documents read.

"This structure would need major modifications to make it structurally sound."

Councillor Anne Maddern said the state of the boardwalk was a "potential hazard" and its removal was necessary.