By DANE LILLINGSTONE
THE Southern Downs Regional Council’s park rationalisation process was criticised as ineffective in the council general meeting, with some questioning the length of time it is taking.
At least one member of the Park Rationalisation Committee (PRC) admitted that the process was taking too long, with community engagement on some of the first 12 parks still ongoing.
It was also noted in a parks committee report that even when community submissions had been made, some still had their requests ignored.
“It was noted that the process was taking a long time and council was receiving a battering in the meantime,” the report said.
“This matter needs to be finalised for the community as soon as possible.”
Councillor Jo McNally is part of the committee and admitted she thought the process wasn’t effective.
“There are 12 parks from the original list that need to be dealt with and we are going nowhere. We can’t add any more,” she said.
“I don’t think it’s working. We need to finalise those first 12 first.”
It was announced that three further parks have had their fates sealed, with none of the parks receiving expressions of interest or support from the community.
Meadowbank Park on Hans Borgar Court will change tenure with the intention of fencing off the playground area and monitoring usage with the potential of leasing a section of the land for grazing.
Fairwill Drive Park on Homestead Road, Warwick, will become obsolete with expressions of interest expected to be sought to purchase or lease the land.
Little-known Glencairn Park will have some infrastructure relocated and have an area of its land offered to expressions of interest.
The Southern Downs is home to some 162 parks with the committee originally set up last year to assess the viability of all of them. In that time some decisions have been made but many in the community have been left in the dark over the process.
The contentious fate of Victory Park in Allora will be deferred until the November council meeting.
The park has been the most controversial due to a war memorial sited within it. There was a recommendation from the committee that Victory Park should no longer be rationalised and should be returned to Classification 1 Strategic and meaning no further action would be taken.
The report noted that there was an indication from the community that the park should be left alone.
“The PRC indicated that in Allora it was clear the community have strong feelings about keeping the parks and yet for council to continue pushing through the process seems a moot point when the people will not change their minds,” the report said.
However councillor and parks committee chairman Vic Pennisi said a decision shouldn’t be rushed.
“Taking off Victory Park would be premature. We need to do it thoroughly,” he said.
“In my personal point of view, it’d be good if we could somehow speed it up and get to the end of it but we need to go through proper consultation with the community.”
