KINGSTON mayor Steve Staikos says that the state government’s plans to turn land in Heatherton earmarked for the Chain of Parks into train stabling is “disappointing”.
A statement from Kingston Council read that the Delta site on Kingston Road, Heatherton will be acquired by the state government for use as stabling for the Suburban Rail Loop. Council had earmarked the land for its Chain of Parks – to be used as a regional sporting facility.
“We are naturally disappointed, and we are urging the government to secure an alternative site in Kingston’s Green Wedge for the important regional sporting facility,” Cr Staikos said. “After significant work by Council, the Old Dandenong Road site was clearly identified in our Chain of Parks Masterplan as the perfect site for this unique new regional facility.
“It is now more important than ever that the government use the $25 million promised at the last state election to purchase land for the Chain of Parks. Council is doing its bit having opened the Spring Road Reserve in Dingley Village and is now constructing a new park at Elder Street South in Clarinda. It’s time the government honoured its commitment and bought the Henry Street site.”
The Chain of Parks project sees former landfill sites around the Kingston municipality converted into open green space. The plan proposes a core area of 355 hectares of publicly owned land linking Warrigal Road in Moorabbin to Braeside Park in Dingley.
Kingston councillors ticked off new concept plans for the Chain of Parks at a meeting in April (“Chain of Parks plans endorsed”, The News, 22/4/20).
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 23 December 2020
