Success at last! The park has been saved!

Hurrah! The parkland, in entirety, has been gifted to the City of Moreland!

Well done everyone!

This is a fantastic result, which our group has been working relentlessly towards since late 2006, and we are over the moon that this outcome has finally been realised.

We know from various events and petitions and letters of support that the users of this parkland are from all over Melbourne’s inner north and we’re sure that everyone is breathing a collective sigh of relief that Justin Madden, Minister for Planning, agrees that this parkland is indeed a special place worth saving.

The years of writing letters to politicians and media, signing petitions, and gathering for shows of support in the parkland have been worth it and all residents should feel proud to have achieved this result.

There has been a lot of work done behind the scenes, with people volunteering all kinds of skills and we’re delighted to be able to thank you all - every single person involved in the campaign - now we have reached this incredibly positive outcome.

Generations to come will be able to appreciate this parkland as we do today - an oasis of green open space parkland available for recreation by all.

Success!

July 3rd, 2010 | Category: flora & fauna, history, recreation | Comments (1)

Promised and delivered: Edgars Creek parkland gifted to the community

A press release from Christine Campbell MP:

“It is with immense pride that I announce that the Edgars Creek parkland has been gifted as public open space by the Brumby Labor Government, as I promised at the last State election,” Christine Campbell, MP, Member for Pascoe Vale announced today.

“The delivery of this public open space to my electorate and beyond is the highlight of this term as a Member of this Government,” Ms Campbell said.

“The community can now be certain that they can continue to enjoy walking, riding, golfing, playing sport and simply “chilling out” in this very special open space,” Ms Campbell said.

“Edgars Creek parklands will ensure that Coburg retains its liveability as a truly great place to live, work and raise a family,” Ms Campbell said.

“In partnership with the community and Moreland Council I have worked to show the critical importance of this land for the health and wellbeing of residents.”

“I thank those who have provided individual support letters, photos of the “flatland” in flood, and helped re-vegetate the area with native plantings. This has greatly assisted in promoting the reasons why the area should be permanent public open space,” Ms Campbell said.

“I also thank Merri and Edgars Creek Parklands Group and Friends of Edgars Creek who have worked conscientiously for today’s result,” Ms Campbell said.

“Within Government, I particularly want to thank Minister Justin Madden and Minister Tim Pallas and their departments for their support to ensure that this election commitment was delivered for the community,” Ms Campbell said.

“We can look forward to enjoying this wonderful parkland in the certainty that it will always remain public open space for us and future generations.”

July 2nd, 2010 | Category: government, media, state government | Leave a comment

Edgars Creek secured as Coburg’s newest park

A press release we’ve been wanting to see for some years has finally arrived!

from http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/component/content/article/10953.html

From the Minister for Planning

Friday, 02 July 2010

Moreland residents will be able to enjoy Edgars Creek as permanent parkland after Planning Minister Justin Madden reached an agreement to resolve the impasse on the future of the land.

Mr Madden today announced that 10.7 hectares of VicRoads land along Edgars Creek will become Crown Land and reserved as permanent parkland under the management of Moreland City Council.

Mr Madden said some land is currently developed parkland and managed by the Council. A flood free area to the north of the existing parkland is now available to be added to the park and the Council can now provide additional sporting facilities.

“This is a brilliant result, not just for the community in Coburg but for all Victorians who use and enjoy the Edgars Creek and Merri Creek trails and rivers,” he said.

“This agreement to make land along Edgars Creek a dedicated park ensures future generations can continue to enjoy this unique part of Melbourne’s natural environment.

“Cyclists, pedestrians, residents – and sporting enthusiasts - can now be assured this land will never become anything other than natural parkland.

“The longstanding impasse has been resolved following the report of the Edgars Creek Taskforce which was appointed to ensure park land and biodiversity - as well as pedestrian and cycling facilities - were considered in deciding the future of these pieces of land.”

Member for Pascoe Vale Christine Campbell chaired the Taskforce and said there was overwhelming support for the retention of parkland and open space.

“The taskforce conducted a thorough investigation of the most appropriate use of the site and worked closely with Moreland City Council to ensure that community views about the future of the land were considered,” Ms Campbell said.

“Edgars Creek plays an important role in Coburg and the agreement to ensure Edgars Creek remains public open space is great news for community.”

Mr Madden said the Brumby Labor Government had worked closely with the Coburg community and Moreland City Council to ensure the future use of this surplus government land was in keeping with the community’s needs.

“Coburg is a growing and changing community and it’s vital to ensure we continue to provide open space and parklands as we manage sustainable growth,” Mr Madden said.

“Retaining land for parkland in the Inner North is one of the strategic planning objectives in Melbourne @ 5 million, our long-term plan for managing sustainable growth.

“It’s fantastic to see Edgars Creek returned to the community as we deliver on this plan.”

July 2nd, 2010 | Category: government, media, recreation, state government | Leave a comment

Call to donate Coburg North parkland

Tessa Hoffman, Moreland Leader, 07 June 2010

A taskforce set up to investigate the future of the Merri-Edgars Creek parklands has recommended the site be given to Moreland Council.

It is now up to Planning Minister Justin Madden to decide whether to ask VicRoads to gift the 10ha parklands, in Coburg North, bought in the 1970s for an abandoned freeway.

The council and residents have for years asked for the land to be handed over.

The Edgars Creek Taskforce, set up last November to investigate the issue, was chaired by Pascoe Vale state Labor MP Christine Campbell.

Its report - handed to Mr Madden in April and made public last week- found a “strong case for the application of exceptional circumstances under Victoria’s Disposal of Surplus Land policy”.

It found Moreland’s comparatively low percentage of open space “emphasised the need to retain the land as public open space”.

Ms Campbell said it was now up to Mr Madden to request Roads Minister Tim Pallas to deviate from policy and give the land to the council.

Taskforce member and spokesman for Merri & Edgars Creeks Parkland Group Travis Cox said he hoped Mr Madden would move swiftly.

Government spokesman Chris owner said: “The Minister for Planning is considering the report and will determine the course of action in the future.”

from http://moreland-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/call-to-donate-coburg-north-parkland/

June 7th, 2010 | Category: media | Leave a comment

Residents rally to save park

If any doubt remained the sentiment of residents of Melbourne’s north was made clear at a rally on Sunday 14th March: the VicRoads land that forms a major part of the Merri and Edgars Creek Parkland in Coburg North should remain as Public Open Space for the benefit of all for all time. The value of the park to the community was demonstrated by the attendance of over 200 people and scores of dogs at the Walk in the Park organised by the Merri and Edgars Creek Parkland Group (MECPG).

Attendance at the rally included Moreland Mayor Stella Kariofyllidis, Councillors Jo Connellan and John Kavanagh as well as Christine Campbell (Sate Labor MP for Pascoe Vale), Colleen Hartland (Greens MP for Western Metropolitan Region) and a representative for Kelvin Thomson (Federal Member for Wills).

The Walk in the Park rally provided a clear demonstration of the community desire for the parkland to be preserved. This evidence follows a recent community consultation process and report to the Minister for Planning and Community Development by a Task Force chaired by Pascoe Vale MP Christine Campbell. As was reported by the Moreland Leader (22/2/2010 ‘Give us our valley plea’) the community struggle to keep the Merri and Edgars Creek Parkland has continued for over three years. The campaign has been strengthened by Moreland Council which has put in place a banner stating their support for the creek parkland to be saved as open space.

Following participation in the Task Force consultation process community group spokespeople, Travis Cox (MECPG) and Stephen Northey (Friends of Edgars Creek), expressed some optimism that what has seemed obvious to the community for so many years could finally be put into action by the State Government. But the community will remain on edge until the ownership of the parkland is actually transferred to the City of Moreland as Public Open Space for ever. In her address at the rally, Christine Campbell reminded residents of her 2006 election commitment to work for preservation of the Merri and Edgars creek Parkland. Colleen Hartland stated that the Greens would hold the Brumby Labor government to this commitment.

During the community campaign hundreds of residents have on many occasions written to the press, local MPs, State Government Ministers and to VicRoads arguing that residential development in this flood-prone parkland so prized by walkers, cyclists, golfers, and dogs would be an opportunity squandered for ever. The loss of open space would be especially missed under increased population pressure from Pentridge and Kodak site urban developments. The parkland is uniquely situated at the meeting point of Merri and Edgars creeks linear open space corridors, it is home to hundreds of trees providing habitat for many species of birds. In addition the adjacent stretch of Edgars Creek includes a waterfall which is of regional significance there being few comparable examples of the Melbourne geological formation exposed in the Melbourne Metropolitan area. These are the reasons the land is so highly valued by the community and that have sustained the fight to preserve the land in its entirety as parkland.

MECPG will continue to campaign for the retention of what is the single largest piece of public open space in Moreland.