FUNDING has been secured to turn open space in Evelyn Street into a public park.
In 2019, Frankston Council backed away from a decision to sell the land to the Department of Justice (“Sale of Evelyn Street open space stopped”, The Times, 11/6/19). Last week the state government committed $1.3 million towards the development of the space into a park.
The park is planned to include an amphitheatre and elevated performance space, a rainforest garden, planted arbours, footpath connections to Nepean Highway and Fletcher Road, seating and solar lighting, a play area, and grassed recreation areas. Plans are also in place to install barbecues, a drinking fountain, bike hoops, and a sculpture.
Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke said “the pandemic has brought into sharp focus the value of open green space in our community and this new park will deliver just that – building on Frankston’s reputation as the lifestyle capital of Victoria”.
Former Frankston councillor Glenn Aitken pushed to stop the sale of the land in 2019. Last week he said “I’m really grateful to Frankston Council for preserving the space and I think the community should acknowledge and applaud the decision.”
“The pandemic proved the value of open and public spaces by ensuring the community, which was in lockdown, was provided opportunities for properly distanced socialising, recreation and contemplative space,” he said.
“Green open spaces, particularly in city urban centres, are absolutely precious. They should never be lost and instead preserved for people of all ages to enjoy today and into the future.”
A detailed design process for the park is now underway. Work is expected to commence in July and be completed by the end of February 2022.
An audit was undertaken after the decision to sell the land was reversed. It was finished last year.
Auditors found three issues in the process that presented a “high risk” to council. They were that “there are no policy and procedures for the disposal of significant assets, there was limited documentation in the minutes of EMT meetings in respect of the sale of the Evelyn Street property”, and that “there was no evidence that council officers involved in the proposed sale of Evelyn Street declared conflict of interest” (“Evelyn Street investigation done”, The Times, 13/6/20).
Council rezoned the 17-21 Evelyn Street site from mixed use zone to a public park and recreation zone in November 2020.
