The section of the Manly To Spit boardwalk around the Pavilion restaurant building leading up to the steps at Federation Point has been closed, apparently temporarily, while the Northern Beaches Council, which leased the area from Tpt for NSW (formerly RMS) discuss who and how the rapidly deteriorating wooden walkway is repaired.

In the meantime Council has installed a large black cage like structure at the top on the steps in the middle of the Federation Memorial which was a project by Manly Council to commemorate the 2001 Centenary of Federation. The bronze busts of Sir Henry Parkes and Sir Edmund Barton, placed on Federation Point and leading to Commonwealth Parade were created by sculptor Stephen Glassbrow. This new gate that intrudes a meter into the wide footpath has been installed with a gate that opens onto the footpath to comply with fire safety regulations. There is a fire exit on the lower function room section of the pavilion building that opens out onto the deteriorating, now unsafe boardwalk and a platform is required at the top of the steps on the footpath to access the gate. Hopefully this will all be temporary and Council doesn’t expect anyone will be inconvenienced by the new fence and gate.