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Page Last Updated:
Friday, 24 October 2008
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Home>Former reservoir site to be handed over to Council for public recreation
| Former reservoir site to be handed over to Council for public recreation |  Printer Friendly |
Council has been successful in advocating to the State Government for the disused reservoir site in Booran Road, Glen Huntly to be opened up for recreational use by the community. This follows advocacy by Council to the Government, Council’s information letter to several thousand residents and Council’s Community Meeting on 17 March 2008.
This is a fantastic result for the Glen Eira community.
On 20 May the State Member for Bentleigh, Rob Hudson MP, announced the Government’s decision saying “the Government could have sold the land for residential development but is instead handing it back for public open space because we are committed to providing moreplaying fields for local sport and helping people to stay fit”.
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| Increasing the amount of public open space is a high priority for Council and the former reservoir site will be an excellent addition to our open space network. It is envisaged that the site will be developed with a mix of active and passive open space.
The transfer comes after Council raised the issue of possible storm water collection and reuse and the water authorities concluded that it would not be feasible.
Once the site became surplus to the needs of the water authorities, there was the risk it would be sold for intense residential development.
Council moved immediately to seek the conversion of this public land to community use and we are delighted with the Government’s support.
The Council will need to carry out due diligence on the site to see whether there are any issues with soil contamination, underground assets, rehabilitation, zoning etc. Subject to due diligence, Council will also go through a consultation process with the Glen Eira community as a whole to determine the nature of development of the site for recreational use and how to pay for the works.
In a true spirit of partnership the State Government’s Minister for Sport, Recreation and Youth Affairs, James Merlino has already written to Council encouraging Council to develop a project for submission to a future round of his Department’s Community Facility Funding Program (CFFP).
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