By Laura Wakely
THE Regional Rail Link will acquire more than 100 square metres of the HV McKay Gardens.
A Regional Rail Link Authority (RRLA) spokesperson told Star the design for the acquisition is “still developing”, but that preliminary designs would see a “narrow wedge” of around 136 square metres acquired.
Friends of the HV McKay Gardens are calling on Heritage Victoria to take a stand against the acquisition of the Sunshine landmark.
The grade separation of Anderson Rd will see part of the HV McKay Gardens acquired as part of the Regional Rail Link.
President Catherine McDonald said the group would be taking their case to Heritage Victoria after a meeting with the RRLA last week which she described as a “travesty”.
“There was no opportunity at all for the community to have any input or say in what is going to happen,” Ms McDonald said.
“Initially they tried to give us the impression that there was a possibility of reducing the impact (of the grade separation) along Anderson Rd.
“We now learn they’re going to relocate the power poles, which are on the nature strip, into the gardens.”
The RRLA spokesperson said the design included a three metre shared path for cyclists and pedestrians, which will see electricity lines moved further back into the gardens.
Ms McDonald said residents were “insulted” that RRLA representatives at the meeting didn’t know the name of the gardens and said the idea that they were consulting with the community was “a joke”.
“These people (RRLA) treat us like fools. Their strategy is to… put out misleading and contradictory information and when people are bamboozled they come in with the sledgehammer and you get what they intended to do in the first place. They did it in Footscray, they did it here and they will do it all the way up the rail corridor.”
A spokesperson for Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder said community were still continuing and “no decisions will be made until community consultation has concluded”.
“RRLA is discussing the power- line issue with the power company and no decision has been reached as yet,” the spokesperson said.
