Ringwood Residents Oppose Park Sale
Reported by Joshua Tolcher
A proposal to sell a council-owned park to a neighbouring aged care home under a Maroondah City Council proposal has sparked concerns about its future, attracting protests from local residents insisting it should remain publicly owned.
Residents recently gathered at the potential sale site of Bronhill Road Reserve, in Ringwood East, to protest the proposed sale to Donwood Community Aged Care Services. Croydon Conservation Society President Liz Sanzaro said residents were upset. “Most of them were feeling fairly indignant about the fact that it's there as a pocket park for people to use, and they do,” she said.
Sanzaro said the Croydon Conservation Society was also opposed to the proposed sale, stating it should remain in public ownership. “That's why it's called public open space - it belongs to the public,” she said.
According to its YourSay website, the Maroondah City Council is considering a “partnership approach” with Donwood. This includes a potential sale of the reserve that the council said, “could support better connections through the area … and improve integration with surrounding services.”
Sanzaro disagreed, questioning the legitimacy of a so-called partnership approach. “I think it's a bit of a furphy, actually. I don’t see how it can be a partnership if it’s actually being sold to a private company ,” she said.
“The issue there is, once you’ve sold it, you’ve lost complete control over it. It sounds good in theory, but in practice it would be extremely poor.”
Mayor Linda Hancock told local online news publication, The East Melburnian, that the proposed partnership and sale would “support expansion of its facility. Donwood has committed that with any future development they would ensure the site remains publicly accessible with paths, play space and other amenities,” she added.
Under law, councils must give public notice and undertake community consultation before deciding to sell public land. The council has been doing so since August and the public consultation period ended on August 28. Sanzaro said she hopes the council will take the time to read the submissions thoroughly and will make the decision to reject the proposed sale. “Take note of the efforts that have been put in by so many people that had their say,” she said. “We can’t live in an environment that’s depleted of the very things we need.”
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