By Alesha Capone
MORE than 200 Seaholme and Altona residents have signed a petition opposing a Hobons Bay City Council proposal to turn a beloved community park into a soccer facility.
The proposed Altona Central Sports Precinct Plan 2011/2031, which is open for public comment, suggests developing Fell Reserve “into a designated sports field”.
The plan proposes the creation of “a junior soccer facility incorporating small sided games pitch and training pitch with training lights only” and transplanting the Millers Rd Rose Garden to a different spot.
However, many nearby residents have criticised the plan, with around 210 signing a petition against the idea.
The petition said the reserve has “been for the use of residents for the past 40 years” and “this development will be an invasion of our homes and privacy, with screaming and shouting during the week and weekends”.
The petitioners also stated the proposed lights would an invasion of privacy, parking problems would get worse, property values could decrease and anger about the possible rose garden removal.
Worried residents have formed a group called the Noordenne Estate Action Group.
“Lots of people are angry they were not notified about the plan,” said group member Sheila Freeman.
At last week’s council meeting, the council said they had distributed more than 150 letters to nearby residents asking for their feedback.
However, many residents said they did not get any letter – including those in Newton Court – and only found out the news, thanks to the Noordenne Estate Action Group.
Ms Freeman said she has been inundated with phone calls and emails from residents concerned about the potential loss of the park.
Some of the emails said they were “vehemently against” the proposal, while another said, “I don’t want to lose our peaceful little park”.
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