By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
WHILE some Tooradin residents have been waiting almost 10 years, it took only 10 days to get 615 signatures on a petition for a playground on Sambur Road in Tooradin.
The vacant block of land with a few trees, park bench and a footpath is rarely used, petitioner co-ordinator Melinda Lenders said.
“I’ve seen people walk dogs through occasionally and a dad and son kick a footy, but for the population that’s there, it’s not getting used,” Ms Lenders said.
With no park on the northern side of the Gippsland highway, residents have to travel two kilometres to the nearest playground on the Tooradin foreshore.
“It’s a four-kilometre round trip, you have to go a long way out of your way to get there and it’s unsafe for kids crossing the highway, if they want to get to the playground some are tempted to walk across the highway instead of walking to the pedestrian lights 100 metres down,” she said.
Tooradin resident of seven years, Ms Lenders said the foreshore playground was quite old and frequented by a lot of travellers.
“It can sometimes be hard to get a car park on weekends, and some people bought homes around Sambur road under the assumption that a playground was going to be built,” she said.
Tooradin resident Tarryn Studham lives across the road from the deserted field and was among the 615 signatories.
“I have a family with children that would get a lot of use out of this park, and when we purchased the property we were told this land was going to be a children’s park, seven years later it’s still a poorly maintained paddock,” Ms Studham said.
Ms Lenders said many locals had inquired with the council individually with no success.
“I’m hoping council will address the issue now and urgent attention is paid to get the playground included in the next budget or at least in the five-year plan, it’s been long enough,” Ms Lenders said.
Sub division of the 4000 square metre block was approved in 2006, and Ms Lenders said the land was left as open space contribution to the council.
“The council has done nothing with the land since 2006,” she said.
With population in the surrounding areas rising, Ms Lenders said there would be a larger demand for a playground in the future.
“We are pushing harder for it now because a new sub-division of 40 1000 square metre blocks have already been sold in Manton Park, and it’s estimated within the next couple of years the population around Sambur Road will increase by about 20 per cent,” she said.
Ms Lenders and her army of disappointed locals have been petitioning for a couple of weeks and had 100 signatures within 24 hours.
“If we don’t get it on the budget nothing’s going to happen, and by the time all those homes will be built,” Ms Lenders said.
The playground for Sambur Road is estimated at costing $70,000 and Ms Lenders would like to see developer contribution funds explored.
With a 15-month baby boy Ms Lenders said, “It’s not going to impact me immediately, but I want it for everyone’s use in the community.”
