By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
CASEY Council is yet to be formally notified of the Federal Government’s funds for security upgrades at Hampton Park Community Square.
Minister for Justice Michael Keenan visited the square on Thursday 19 May with Liberal Candidate for Holt James Mathias and announced $208,100, to be spent on security at the crime hot spot off Stuart Avenue.
However the Casey Council has not been briefed on the funding or when it will be rolled out.
City of Casey Manager Community Safety, Caroline Bell told Star News, “We look forward to working with the Federal Government to learn more about the announcement and how the funds may be used to improve safety of the Casey community.”
The announcement follows a young boy who was recently caught defacing an Anzac memorial display at the square.
The cash injection is set to be spent on improving security infrastructure at the square and includes new lighting, safer paths, better fencing and the installation of new safety bollards.
Caged cameras haven’t deterred people from ongoing illegal dumping outside the Hampton Park Salvation Army – adjacent to the square – instead they have moved around the back.
Manager of the Hampton Park Community House, located in the square, Tania Sacco said “unfortunately the square and adjacent salvos store attracts a lot of crime”, and welcomed the upcoming funds.
“Cages around the cameras are necessary because people vandalise them,” Ms Sacco said.
“They now dump rubbish for the Salvos to clean up around the back of the side car park.”
