Bayswater Council defers further decision on Maylands Waterland until March

BAYSWATER Council will not make a decision on progressing alternate options for the Maylands Waterland until March.

At last night’s committee meeting, councillors voted 8-1 for Cr Filomena Piffaretti’s procedural motion to defer the decision until the second ordinary council meeting in March.

Cr Lorna Clarke voted against it.

Officers recommended establishing a project working group consisting of officers, Cr Elli Petersen-Pik and Cr Catherine Ehrhardt and any other interested councillor to progress alternate options for the 40-year-old Waterland.

The City will wait until March for the outcome of its State Government Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund (CSRFF) grant application.

Last week, Bayswater Mayor Dan Bull confirmed Waterland will close at the end of the summer season.

According to an officer’s report, there had been no successful applications or responses from the private sector.

The City sent letters to John Hughes Group, Multiplex, AMP, Grant Thornton Accountants, Wilson Parking, Secure Parking, Rio Tinto, BHP, South 32, Clough, Woodside, Chevron, Perron Group, Wyllie Group and William Porteous Properties International.

Officers proposed to start community engagement in line with scoping documents after February, finalise the concept plans for a park by April 2019 and incorporate funding into 2019-2020 budget for the park.

Friends of Maylands Waterland chair Josh Eveson, who addressed council, said there was no sincere attempt by the council in saving the Waterland and their plan was to “simply sit and wait”.

“While last night’s decision defers any further action until the CSRFF grant outcome is known; it’s quite clear, there is still a lack of planning regarding business case by Council,” he said.

The group formed a petition to ask the council to postpone any closure of the facility until after the next State election in 2021.

It has gathered more than 2700 signatures.

Meanwhile, Cr Petersen-Pik will be tabling a notice of motion at a council meeting in February or March to revoke a July 2018 decision to progress with alternate development options.

His motion also included authorising chief executive Andrew Brien to keep the Waterland open until after the 2020-21 summer season and defer any developments until after the 2021 State Election to give the community chances to seek external funding.