The former Dawes Road Primary School site would be an ideal location for a large, well-equipped community park and playground, according to a local residents’ group.
The Kyabram Deakin Ratepayers Residents and Development Group recently wrote to Campaspe Shire Council, urging it to buy the vacant site for community recreational use before it risked being turned over to residential development.
KDRRADG president Glenn Maddock said Kyabram was a growing rural town on the cusp of major population growth and needed modern new recreational facilities to cater for its future needs.
‘’The former Dawes Rd school site presents a wonderful opportunity for Kyabram to acquire a large parcel of land in the established town area,” he said.
“An opportunity like this will likely never come again.’’
Mr Maddock pointed to a review of council’s play spaces late last year, in which Kyabram’s parks and playgrounds came under fire for not meeting the requirements of the community.
It was suggested that the town’s proliferation of smaller “pocket parks” could be decommissioned in preference for one larger, well-equipped and all-inclusive play space.
“The Dawes Rd site could be developed into a great community space, similar to the recently redeveloped Echuca East Recreation Reserve,” Mr Maddock said.
He added that Echuca already had several well-established parks and playgrounds containing innovative play equipment for all ages, soft-fall ground coverings, shade sails, plenty of seating, barbecues, picnic tables, shelters and public toilets.
“In comparison, Kyabram's centrally located playground, Jaycee Park, features a tiny play structure suitable only for pre-schoolers, two swings and some dilapidated old wooden bench seats built the 1960s,” Mr Maddock said.
In response to KDRRADG’s letter, council chief executive Pauline Gordon said council officers were undertaking an internal review of new and existing play spaces in Kyabram.
“If our review identifies that there is a need to purchase additional land for play spaces within Kyabram, a decision to that effect would need to be made by council,” she said.
KDRRADG understands the protocol for disposal of government-owned land is that the site must first be offered to another government body, then a local government council, before being offered for sale on the open real estate market.
Sandra Brown
Kyabram Deakin Ratepayers Residents And Development Group
2°C