Church Point is the closest mainland area to Scotland Island. Historically it has been the access point for the offshore communities of Scotland Island and "West Pittwater" - Elvina Bay, Lovett Bay, Towlers Bay and Mcarr's Creek. Unfortunately due to lack of planning foresight, the demands upon Church Point for parking, offshore access, tourism and general recreation are considerable. Without doubt the major problem is the parking problem!

This issue has been going for a long time. The Scotland Island Residents' Association has over 2,000 pages of reports, submissions and correspondence going back 30 years. Because people have become involved at different stages, it is necessary to regularly restate the views and perceptions of the Offshore communities regarding parking at Church Point.

Local historical records clearly show that Church Point has been the "village square" and mainland base of the Offshore communities for 150 years. We do not and never have claimed exclusive rights to Church Point; our usage of "the Point" is that which is simply generated by the realities of daily life and movement.

In 1961 Warringah Council infilled the present carparking Reserve, largely to create parking for the growing Offshore communities (and, we understand, to create 14 carpark spaces for the Pasadena Restaurant - 1 for each guest room).

Due to increasing growth , by the 1970's, parking shortages during weekends and major holidays became a significant problem and inconvenience for people living Offshore. This problem has continually worsened and is now occurring on some weeknights and will, in the short-to-medium term future, become chronic. It has been aggravated by the fact that over the past 15 years about 60-80 carparking spaces have been lost at Church Point, due to works done for the purposes of aesthetics and safety.

The issue of parking at Church Point has generated a lot of noise and low quality controversy. The Offshore communities hope and believe that most people of common sense can discriminate significant needs from more superficial and unrealistic demands and proposals.

Pittwater Council does not have a legal obligation to provide parking for Offshore residents, but it is also hoped and believed that a community-based Council like Pittwater has both the will and ability to assist Offshore residents in relation to this significant practical community problem.

Offshore communities do generate specific problems which are not usually faced by "town planners" in other local government areas. At the same time, Offshore communities may be regarded as a unique and valuable feature of the diverse community profile of the Pittwater area. Their particular requirements for a mainland base are as essential as having road access or water supply.

Getting to and from the mainland is a major operation and financial cost if you live Offshore, particularly with kids, shopping, or late at night (about a 40 minute round trip, from home to car and back again, costing about $1,000 per year per person). To propose anything which involves a significant increase in this difficulty, such as having to catch a shuttlebus from Mona Vale, would make living in the Offshore areas simply not viable for the vast majority of people. It would be paramount to proposing the dismantling of the present Offshore communities. Because of its proximity and the Ferry service, Church Point is the only realistic place as the major mainland base for the communities of West Pittwater and Scotland Island.

There are 550 building blocks in the Offshore areas, approximately 510 of these are built upon, approximately 420 homes are permanently occupied by approximately 1,200 people. It can be argued that the actual usage and demands by this number of people upon Church Point, which has at present about 360 legal carparking spaces is very modest. A significant amount of "dispersal" is already happening and other forms of self-regulation are minimising the demand.

Contrary to what has been sometimes said by critics, Offshore residents are not looking for a free ride and when asked most residents remark that they would be prepared to contribute financially for any fair proposal. It is the question as to what is fair that is the issue!

The above summary misses out a number of seminal mileposts, such as the widely supported LePlastrier Plan and its sabotage; the State Governments Crown Lands Assessment Process and the consequent regazetting of Reserve 100256; Pittwater Council's ongoing Management Plan for Church Point, not to be confused with the Plan of Management for Reserve 100256; the numerous discussions and reports on a bridge, car ferry, dispersal to other areas, multi-story carpark, etc.

This whole episode may be a tale full of sound and fury signifying nothing, but unfortunately it is not yet gone with the wind, though it has generated much.