By Laura Wakely
THE REGIONAL Rail Link (RRL) Authority is making a “land grab” for Barclay Reserve and HV McKay Memorial Gardens in Sunshine, according to a local community group.
The design plans for the Anderson Rd grade separation were released last week.
An RRL Authority spokesperson told Star they had “worked hard” to design the grade separation with minimum impact to the community and would not be acquiring any residential or retail properties.
“However, there will be a need to acquire a very small amount of land on the Anderson Rd side of Barclay Reserve and on the edge of the (McKay) gardens,” the spokesperson said.
“We are working closely with Brimbank City Council to minimise the impacts.”
Artists’ impressions of the separation show a rail overpass will be built near the King Edward Ave intersection, with a rail underpass near the Sun Crescent and Forrest St intersections.
Each of the separations will include cycling and pedestrian paths.
Friends of the McKay Gardens president Catherine McDonald said she was “absolutely disgusted” by the “land grab”.
She said the 102-year-old garden, which is heritage-listed, is one of only two industrial gardens in Australia.
“The Friends have spent five years rescuing these gardens from council’s previous attempts to destroy them, but within a heartbeat they are apparently back to their old ways,” Ms McDonald said.
“Brimbank is just not capable of looking after heritage assets.”
Ms McDonald said she had been “assured” by council that they would resist any moves to allow the grade separation to impact on the gardens.
“Now it appears they have been working in cahoots with the Authority and the Friends have been completely out of the loop,” she said.
She said brochures, which were distributed by the RRL Authority in Sunshine last week, gave no indication of the size of the land that would be acquired or what would happen to the footbridge.
Both the RRL Authority and Transport Minister Terry Mulder did not answer questions from Star on the size and position of the land to be acquired.
But council general manager of infrastructure and environment Paul Younis said the designs were “preliminary only”.
“We acknowledge that there will be a need for some acquisition of land, which has been kept to a minimum and does not involve the acquisition of or relocation of any residences or businesses,” Mr Younis said.
Mr Younis said the council had developed design principles aimed at preserving the “heritage values” of the “much-loved” McKay Gardens.
Residents are invited to attend RRL Authority information sessions. For information visit www.transport.vic.gov.au
