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.
Kids need a place to play
Save our Parkland!
Walking along the Merri Creek
Residents REALLY want this park
Gathering before the walk
Showing our support