85383 Picture: KRISTIAN SCOTT
By Vanessa Valenzuela
WYNDHAM Council will celebrate the official opening of a controversial garden built outside Wyndham Civic Centre with a children’s tea party later this month.
Earlier this year, Star obtained exclusive documents showing that the council spent more than $18,000 of ratepayers money on a wooden seat in the garden out the front of its offices.
The documents, obtained through Freedom of Information, revealed $737,000 was spent on landscaping the garden, with more than $160,000 spent on furniture and “timber seating elements”.
More than $20,000 has been set aside for six months worth of maintenance.
The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party event will mark the official opening of the gardens on Tuesday 31 August.
The event invites young children to enjoy the new garden space with book readings and refreshments.
Wyndham CEO Kerry Thompson said the transformation of the Civic Centre grounds from a grassed lawn to a more formal space would allow the council to hold more events at the Centre.
“It’s a great opportunity to showcase these landscaping works, which include decking, tree planting, seating and paving. This is the ideal chance for families to come and enjoy this space, which is designed to be used by the community,” Ms Thompson said.
She said the works would strengthen the sense of community pride residents can have in the Civic Centre.
“It will draw residents to do more than just pay their rates or their animal registration when they visit by encouraging them to use the grounds for meetings on the new park furniture or read a book in the calming surrounds of the Japanese Garden.”
For more information about the official opening visit the council website at www.wyndham.vic.au
