Community calls for expanded park but City has other ideas

ATTADALE residents want vacant land next to the Moreing Road shops to become a full neighbourhood park, but it appears their wish may go unheeded.

City of Melville officers have instead recommended leasing the former Attadale Kindergarten site in Lawlor Road block to a child care or similar provider through a request for proposal process.

Representatives from the Friends of Attadale and Bicton community group spoke at Melville council on Tuesday about the engagement they had done with the community and their willingness to work with the council on a park project.

Community ‘dismissed’ by deputations policy

Urbnsurf founder talks wave park red tape

Hot topics debated at electors meeting

More than 500 residents have signed a supporting petition imploring the council to change the land’s purpose from residential to public open space.

The kindergarten was demolished in 2015, leaving a small pocket park and a drainage sump onsite.

The site is 2218sqm with the pocket park measuring about 700sqm and the drainage sump taking up 650sqm.

Converting the whole area to public open space is one of the options that City officers explored, although the cost of remediating the sump would be between $200,000 to $400,000 and that land would then only be suitable for landscaping and not buildings.

Officers have also looked into creating a small residential subdivision and expanding the pocket park, or simply leaving the area as it ism before recommending that a child care centre might be the best use of the land.

The council will make a decision at its August 20 meeting.