Three years ago, Moreland Council was faced with a tough decision. VicRoads had placed a deadline for the sale of the parkland as of Feb 28th 2007 - either the Council would agree to purchase the land at full market value or it would be offered to private developers. The last Council meeting prior to the sale deadline was Feb 14th 2007. An immediate campaign was raised by residents furious with the proposed land sale, with the Council supporting our position that the land should be gifted to the people of Moreland as open space in perpetuity. A vibrant public rally was also held on the steps of State Parliament. The VicRoads sale deadline was subsequently amended - first to mid 2007, then removed as a fixed date as the campaign continued against the proposed sale.
It is thus with mixed feelings we mark the passage of three years since that Council meeting.
We celebrate that this land is still available for the public to recreate in. An activity count during a recent 1-hour visit to the park during a weekday morning found 28 people cycling, golfing, walking with dogs and/or children, doing Tai Chi, and enjoying nature. None of this would be possible if the land had been sold to private developers.
On the other hand, it’s somewhat disheartening to note that despite residents, Councillor and Council employees, Christine Campbell MP, Carlo Carli MP, Colleen Hartland MP, and Federal MP Kelvin Thompson all expressing their significant concerns about the loss of this parkland as open space for the community, this matter has not yet been resolved.
The Minister for Planning, Justin Madden, has the power to stop this issue draining local energies and ensure the parkland is managed as an open space recreation haven for current and future residents.
Come on Mr Madden! Gifting this land to the local council for ongoing stewardship as parkland is a win-win-win situation!
February 14th, 2010 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment
One of our MECPG members has discovered a great aerial photo of the threatened parkland. Take a moment to admire the beauty! It’s a spectacular site and to be under threat from development is a travesty!
To underscore even more the potential damage of development - this image only shows two of the four VicRoads land parcels under threat. This parkland has survived for decades and is the largest open space in Coburg. We cannot afford to lose it!
Aerial image of parkland
February 13th, 2010 | Category: flora & fauna, waterways | Leave a comment
Ever wondered what the parkland looked like in the past, before the trees were planted by the Coburg Council, Moreland Council and residents? We’ve sourced a number of historical images of the area and made them available for download [5.5MB, DOC] if you’re interested in seeing the change across the past several decades.
February 5th, 2010 | Category: FOEC, flora & fauna, history, waterways | Leave a comment
One of the parcels of VicRoads land we’re trying to save falls within a Land Subject To Inundation building overlay according to the Moreland Planning Scheme. In other words, this land is flood prone. If ever there was a good reason to not offer this land for development, this would surely be it… However, it’s not just when the two creeks back up in heavy rains and flood across the parkland - it does not take too much rain to cause the parkland to become sodden. A reasonable rainfall event spread over an entire day is sufficient to keep the waterfowl happy - as seen from the ducks and ibises enjoying this instant lagoon.
Soaked parkland
Soaked parkland
November 22nd, 2009 | Category: flora & fauna, waterways | Leave a comment
Local MP Christine Campbell delivered an adjournment in State Parliament today.
From http://tex.parliament.vic.gov.au/bin/texhtmlt?form=VicHansard.dumpall&db=hansard91&dodraft=0&speech=7257&activity=Members+Statements&title=Planning:+Edgars+Creek+parkland&date1=12&date2=November&date3=2009&query=true%0a%09and+%28+data+contains+’CAMPBELL’+%29%0a%09and+%28+members+contains+’CAMPBELL’+%29%0a%09and+%28+hdate.hdate_3+=+2009+%29%0a
Ms CAMPBELL (Pascoe Vale) — I thank all those who are working in a cooperative spirit of partnership on the Edgars Creek-Merri Creek parklands task force. The Minister for Planning recently appointed a task force that aims to ensure planning for public open space. Pedestrian and bike path facilities are considered in the context of increasing urban development within the Edgars Creek-Merri Creek area. The task force membership includes representatives from the Merri and Edgars Creek Parklands Group, Friends of Edgars Creek and the Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD); the mayor and chief executive officer of Moreland City Council; the chief executive officer of VicRoads; and me as the chair.
Our November meeting included an overview of the roles of the members of the task force, including the roles of Friends of Edgars Creek and the Merri and Edgars Creek Parklands Group. DPCD representatives made presentations on issues such as Melbourne@5 Million, gave a general overview of the role of the DPCD and advised of the status of some of the major development sites in the nearby vicinity. They also provided a background of the general urban design principles relating to parklands. Preliminary information was provided regarding the impact of the Kodak plant site on the Edgars Creek-Merri Creek confluence, and a fact sheet prepared by the developer was provided to the task force members. Representatives of the Friends of Edgars Creek presented a summary of the role they play and the work they do, which includes enhancing the creek. The group also advised that its work extends the full length of the creek up to Epping and that it has numerous long-term projects under way. They presented copies of newsletters to the task force and advised in detail of the work they have carried out to date. I advised the task force that at the last election the state government committed to the retention of the Edgars Creek parkland.
November 12th, 2009 | Category: state government | Leave a comment
