IN the leadup to its 2018 re-election the state government committed $25 million towards creating the “Sandbelt Parklands”, a 355 hectare chain of parks running from Dingley Village to Moorabbin. With the next election looming the project remains incomplete, and Kingston Council is pleading for the state government to fulfill its promise.
Kingston Council is keen to see the chain of parks project completed. The project has taken a few hits in the last four years, none more damaging than the state government announcing that land previously earmarked for the project in Heatherton would instead be used for suburban rail loop stabling.
Kingston mayor Steve Staikos says that council needs continued state government support for the project to come to fruition. “Four years have passed, and we are yet to see what was promised to our community,” he said. “Council has done its part to make the plan a reality by investing millions at council-owned parks such as Spring Road Reserve in Dingley Village, Heatherton Park in Clayton South, Elder Street South Reserve in Clarinda and the soon to be opened Victory Road Reserve in Clayton South – now we need the state government to do their bit.”
Environment minister Lily D’Ambrosio was asked for an update on the progress of the project. She said “we’re delivering every promised hectare of the Chain of Parks – 355 hectares of protected community parkland running from Moorabbin to Dingley Village for local families to enjoy.”
The state government has begun the process of acquiring the remaining land for the project within the public acquisition overlay. The Department of Land, Water, and Planning website reads that the state government is “working with key partners, stakeholders, Traditional Owners and the community to develop the vision for Sandbelt Parklands”, and that community consultation will take place late this year.
Kingston Council wants to see both the Delta landfill site and land on Henry Street in Heatherton purchased for the chain of parks.
The announcement that the former Delta landfill site in Heatherton would be used for SRL train stabling instead of the chain of parks devastated supporters of the park project. An advisory committee report assessing the rail loop released earlier this year read that the state government should only proceed with building train stabling at the Heatherton site “if a suitable replacement site for public open space can be found” (“Chain of parks site must be replaced” The News 17/8/22).
Kingston councillor Tracey Davies has also called on the state government to take action. “It’s time for the environment minister to make good on the chain of parks promise and purchase the remaining sites to create the chain of parks once and for all. We’ve been talking and planning for decades but enough is enough, it’s time for action now,” she said.
Last week the state opposition pledged $20 million to the Sandbelt Parkland project. It has promised to shelve the suburban rail loop and preserve the Heatherton site. Opposition leader Matthew Guy says “once Labor has destroyed these parklands, they will be gone forever. Our real solution will back Kingston Council to protect this parkland once and for all.”
In a statement, community group Move The Train Yard expressed its joy at the announcement. “The Heatherton and Clarinda communities have lived with decades of noise, smells, and dust from the sand mining and landfills in the area, in the promise that the site would become part of the Green Wedge Sandbelt Chain of Parks. The [opposition’s] funding will help realise the 30 year promise by state and local governments, embedded in Melbourne’s strategic plan to provide parks and sporting fields to service a growing city,” the statement read.
“We are so happy that someone is finally delivering on a 30 year promise to give Melbourne a wonderful green wedge full of parks and sporting fields – and protect us from 13 years of construction noise, dust, heavy trucks, tunnelling and stockpiling.”
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 5 October 2022
1 Comment
Reduce the parkland, get more affordable housing. we have plenty of space for parkland and housing. It is not about protecting our own little turf, we need development and jobs. How many jobs are available in Dingley? Dingley needs a new identity.