New concrete bollards have been erected in Sydney’s south, as the local mayor says locals ‘need to be on the front foot and take precautions’.
A series of bollards, similar to those seen in Sydney’s Martin Place, have been set up at Perryman Square, opposite the iconic Northies Hotel, and along the bustling Esplanade nearby.
Mayor Carmelo Pesce told Daily Mail Australia barriers would also be installed in the shopping precinct nearby.
Large concrete bollards have been installed in a major walkway to North Cronulla Beach (pictured)
Local Mayor Carmelo Pesce says Perryman Square (pictured before the bollards) becomes crowded during the summer and council has considered ‘what’s happening around the world’
‘With what’s happening around the world, we’ve really got to be aware and take notice,’ he said.
‘If we don’t take these things into consideration, I think we’re being a bit naive.’
Mr Pesce stressed there was no direct threat against the bustling beachside suburb, but he felt it important to be prepared.
‘We have zero intel – but in the summer months, Cronulla does get quite busy and we want to take precautions,’ he said.
‘It’s not a matter of being scared, it’s a matter of being on the front foot.’
Mr Pesce said council has ‘zero intel’ but felt it important to ‘be on the front foot’. He said the decision was made in conjunction with NSW Police, but it is believed local police assisted with the plan
The Mayor claimed the bollards had been set up under the direction of NSW Police, but a spokesman said it was a local issue.
‘Police regularly work together with local councils to discuss public safety and risk management; however the installation of bollards are a matter for the council or other landowners,’ he said.
Mr Pesce also claimed the bollards were going up ‘all over Sydney’, but NSW Police declined to comment as to whether this was the case.
The bollards also serve some safety concerns. Perryman Square faces on to the Kingsway, which comes to an end at its entrance on a downhill slope.
In the small paved area are seating areas to a number of cafes, and the area serves as part of the main route to North Cronulla beach.
The Mayor (pictured) says the anti-terror bollards will also keep pedestrians on the walkway safe from car crashes
Mr Pesce says as The Kingsway (pictured in background) heads straight toward Perryman Square, the bollards could protect people from a car with failed brakes or in the event a driver becomes ill and crashes
Locals appeared confused by the bollards on Wednesday, with many not aware they were going to be installed
‘Someone [driving towards Perryman Square] could have a heart attack, someone could fall sick, someone’s brakes could fail,’ Mr Pesce said.
Locals on Wednesday appeared confused at the appearance of the bollards, with many not aware they would be installed.
On social media, many found it a gross overreaction, with one man sarcastically remarking he: ‘felt safer already’, and another joking bulletproof vests would soon become the norm.
Another resident noted a car could still get through the square.
Delivery drivers to cafes in Perryman Square were seen looking disgruntled and asking each other how long the concrete slabs would be in place.
The unsightly concrete bollards, which are now permanently in place pending a renovation of the area, are now intended to become part of a community art project.
‘We’ve got Hazelhurst, a local art gallery, who run art classes,’ Mr Pesce said. ‘So we might ask them and some local schools if they want to help paint them.’
Another bollard has been placed on the Esplanade, blocking entrance onto the walkway from a large car park