By NICOLE VALICEK
THE NEWPORT community says it’s time for the council to reinstate the Jack Madigan Reserve as public space after being left derelict for 10 years.
Transition Hobsons Bay and the local Newport community are calling for contaminants to be removed from the Jack Madigan Reserve and for the land to be reinstated for recreational use.
The Jack Madigan Reserve was used for oil storage by the Australian Navy during World War II. It was then waste as a tip for Hobsons Bay’s solid waste and later converted to a reserve named after a Hobsons Bay Councillor.
For the last 10 years, the reserve has been fenced off due to land subsidence and contamination issues.
Members of the local community are invited to share their ideas for the future of the site at a meeting on 22 June. Meet at the reserve on the corner of Challis and Mason Street from 11am.
This coincides with Global Earth Exchange Day when people are asked to bring positive energy to damaged land.
Transition Hobsons Bay member and Newport resident Jenny Mitchell said the day was an ideal opportunity to highlight the problem.
“We felt it would be good to put pressure on the council to keep moving (with the project) rather than put it on back burner,” Ms Mitchell said.
“I’d like to hear the latest on council plans and hope that we can make a start soon on cleaning the site up,” she said.
According to the Hobsons Bay City Council Mayor Angela Altair the council has conducted “rigorous” soil tests at the reserve since 2005.
Cr Altair said the tests showed the presence of contaminated material at the site, including asbestos and small quantities of gas.
Large holes of up to five metres were also detected around the perimeter of the original underground fuel tanks.
Cr Altair said the investigations conducted by independent environmental auditors and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) were complete in April 2013.
The audit found the site does not pose a health risk to the community in its current state as the gas release is minimal, the asbestos has been cleaned and the contaminated soil capped.
“The council can now proceed with returning the site back to open space and public access by completing remediation works in accordance with EPA requirements.”
Ms Mitchell said the group appreciates the council has been working to clear the site, but that is has been fenced off for 10 years too long.
Newport resident Kate Leslie said it was a shame to see the Jack Madigan Reserve fenced off and unloved.
“It could be home instead to uses that bring the community together, like a pizza oven, herb garden or a giant chess set.”
Ms Mitchell said people have already suggested a variety of ideas for the site, including a community garden, skate-park and children’s playground with places to sit and a dog-walking area.
She said the event on 22 June provides an opportunity to share ideas for the future of the reserve.
Cr Altair said community consultation with residents and stakeholders on these works will occur before the end of this year with remediation of the site planned to commence in the first half of 2014.
Anyone with an interest in the Jack Madigan Reserve is invited to the event and to look at comments on www.facebook.com/jcmadiganreserve.
