Parents rally against Bassendean Primary carpark plan

Residents outraged that an 845sq m section of the oval is being paved for a carpark as part of a $1.3 million school upgrade tied green materials to a perimeter fence but they were recently removed.

An Education Department spokeswoman confirmed the department removed them, labelling the act as “vandalism”.

“The green material, which consisted of socks and bits of rubbish, was removed by department staff Friday night (August 28) and more were removed again on Monday night (August 31) because that is vandalism. The carpark is going ahead and should be completed this month,” she said.

It has not stopped parents from protesting, with ‘Save our play space’ written in chalk on the Whitfield Street pathway between September 2 and 3.

Last week, the Save Our Play Space Facebook page gained 300 likes, a petition against the carpark sent to the State Government collected 350 signatures and 450 were on an online petition.

Comments against the carpark continue to be posted on the Facebook page.

“Time to move on and get some action now – any decision can be changed, revised, reviewed especially bad ones,” one said.

“Stop with taking over the free spaces in Bassendean, the congestion is taking over. Too many cars in Bassendean as it is. Leave the oval for the children to play on. Stop pushing them onto the concrete jungle to be children,” another wrote.

The Department spokeswoman said development designs were made public and feedback was invited, but none was provided before works began.