A Queensland RSL will keep fighting for a memorial garden where the ashes of veterans are scattered despite plans to build a road that will cut through it.
On Wednesday the State Government pledged $11 million for the $18.2m extension of Third Avenue to Nicklin Way, providing access to the Caloundra CBD without having to go through the congested Caloundra Road roundabout.
But the project means the Sunshine Coast Council needs to compulsorily acquire part of the Caloundra Memorial Gardens.
The Government funding surprised Caloundra RSL sub-branch senior vice president Heather Christie, who thought the money would not be available for years.
She said the sub-branch had met with the council often and wanted the extension to happen at Arthur Street instead.
"It's a straight road, it's a wide road, and it doesn't impact our memorial gardens, plus houses down Oval Avenue," Ms Christie said.
She said the council had reduced its original proposal to resume 7.5 metres of the garden to between 3m at the south end widening to nearly 4m at the northern end of the garden.
"This is still not acceptable because they are still going to desecrate a memorial garden where the ashes of some of our veterans are scattered," Ms Christie said.
In June, the RSL sub-branch sent the council a petition opposing the plan that was signed by more than 8,200 people.
"We won't have anything removed from our memorial garden," Ms Christie said.
"No land grab at all."
Government supports plan
Roads Minister Mark Bailey was on the coast to announce the funding for the Third Avenue extension, as well as $35 million for the Bells Creek Arterial Road upgrade.
Mr Bailey said he was happy to meet with the sub-branch and work with them.
"Fundamentally an $18 million commitment there to take traffic away from the Caloundra roundabout is a really positive thing for the community," he said.
Division 2 councillor Terry Landsberg said the Government's announcement had caught the council off-guard.
He said the Third Avenue option was the best one to alleviate traffic congestion.
"There has obviously been other options put on the table and this was recognised as the best proposed route into Caloundra, into the CBD," he said.
Cr Landsberg said the council was mindful of the position of the garden.
"I know it's a memorial garden and we respect the veterans, but we also do have to look at the impact of our traffic for Caloundra Road, taking that traffic flow off the roundabout, making it better accessibility into the CBD of Caloundra and our beaches as well," he said.
"We talk to a lot of residents stuck on Caloundra Road every day between seven and nine and three and five in the afternoons, and I'm not drawing comparisons, but there is a need for this to go through."
