You can't rebuild history

Peninsula News readers may be interested to know that controversy regarding development is not confined to Ettalong.

After demolishing the much beloved Patonga General Store to facilitate the construction of the "Patonga Hotel-Tavern", those associated with this project have now engaged Matthew Wales and Associates to lodge an application to Gosford Council for permission to demolish the remaining listed heritage items still existing on the site.

The section 96 application seeks permission to "demolish the freestanding building elements, salvage the materials to reinstate original doorway and window, raise General Store floor level and rebuild old general store, on land zoned Residential 2(a) at No. 8 Patonga Dr, Patonga".

As the "freestanding building elements" are heritage listed items and all that remain of the original store, some members of the Patonga community and many others interested in the preservation of the area's heritage are beginning to wonder if a reconstructed doorway and window will suffice to convince Gosford Council of the need to permit the construction of a tavern on the residential site to conserve its history.

The proposal concerning the "reconstruction" of the much loved general store is also causing some community members much angst as most of the original building materials have been disposed of and as one interested observer commented, "You can't rebuild history!"

Vic Jefferies, Patonga