BY NATALIE GALLENTI
BRIMBANK MPs and residents are “outraged” by a council proposal to sell off land it claims is “surplus” to the city’s needs.
A council report revealed 14 properties across the municipality had been recommended for consideration to sell. The properties include vacant blocks of land and small park land in West Sunshine, Sydenham, Keilor, Keilor Lodge, Deer Park, St Albans and Taylors Lakes.
Derrimut MP Telmo Languiller described the proposal as “unacceptable”
and claimed many children and families who used these recreational spaces would be disadvantaged if the sale went ahead.
“After speaking to many of the families that will be affected by this extraordinary decision, I call on the council to immediately reconsider their resolution to deprive children and families of much needed green spaces in Derrimut,”
Mr Languiller said.
Keilor resident and mother Virginia Tachos said she was “devastated”
when she heard of the proposal.
“Smaller parks are easy prey,” she said.
“We need to be very protective of our parkland; they are slowly starting to slip away, especially with the recent closure of Horseshoe Bend Farm.”
Ms Tachos said the Patterson Ave park in Keilor, which is one site listed in the sale proposal, held fond memories for her and her son and had become a meeting place for local residents.
“I’m disappointed and sad,” she said.
The determined resident said the community was prepared to “fight tooth and nail” to keep the parklands, but said if it were indeed a losing battle and council did eventually sell off the land, then it was imperative the money made would go back into community projects.
Keilor MP Natalie Hutchins described the proposal as “outrageous” and said it showed the council was not listening to the community.
Ms Hutchins said last year the council held listening posts with residents and the call to build more parks couldn’t have been more convincing.
“Our open space is sacred.
“I understand it’s just a proposal, but discussion hasn’t happened on what guarantees the council can make that the money will go back into the community.
“If parkland in Keilor is sold off, then the money needs to be going into projects in the Keilor electorate.”
Brimbank Council general manager of infrastructure and environment Paul Younis called for calm within the community, sighting there was a “strict process to the disposal of land” and the council was compelled to give residents an opportunity to have their say.
“The council will only make a decision after we have heard the feedback from the community,” Mr Younis said.
Brimbank CEO Nick Foa said the blocks were identified as surplus to the council’s needs, particularly as there was a high quality park located within 100 to
300 metres from six of the properties nominated.
“There are also plans to spend over $2 million on parks within the immediate area of the blocks,” Mr Foa said.
“All council has done is agreed to commence the statutory process, signalling our intent to sell.
“To suggest that council is harming the community is wrong. Council has spent more than $10 million on the development and upgrading of local parks, playgrounds and open spaces, guided by its Creating Better Parks plan over the past four years.”
Mr Foa said the council had accelerated its commitment to deliver the parks plan which will see almost 50 reserves transformed into “modern, safe and exciting play spaces” by June this year.
A recent Metropolitan Melbourne Investigation conducted by the Victorian Environment Assessment Council revealed Brimbank has the second highest level of public open space of the 29 municipalities within the urban growth area.
The proposed sale comes as Council commenced work at Buckingham Reserve in West Sunshine where a new flagship park will be created.
