Star

Rally over

By Belinda Nolan

27th October 2009 11:05:22 AM

SUNSHINE residents will hold a public rally to campaign for a new park to be established at the former Sunvale school site.

Outraged by Brimbank Council’s push to install social housing at the school, residents groups have united to plan the joint rally in a bid to gain support for their cause.

News of the protest was published on the Save Sunvale website last week, urging residents to attend to voice their desire for a community park.

The council had previously lobbied the State Government to install a public housing estate, with 0.8 hectares of community space on the site.

But on Thursday the council released a press release inviting Sunshine residents to have their say on Sunvale at a community conversation event next week.

Sunshine Residents and Ratepayers Association President Darlene Reilly dismissed the move as a “backflip” aimed at avoiding the fallout of the upcoming rally.

“They failed to consult with us prior to writing letters to the Education Department and local MPs lobbying for social housing,” she said.

“Now they’re telling us they’re going to have a community consultation about it.

“I think this announcement is a win for the community but it’s something that’s long overdue.

“If they think it’s going to stop us from holding the rally, they’re wrong.”

Respect the West member Sean Spencer said residents had no qualms about discussing the issue with the council but said the upcoming consultation was too little too late.

“We wanted to join with the council and have a joint submission to turn the site into a park for the benefit of the entire community,” Mr Spencer said.

“The council knew what we wanted and yet they wrote to the Education Department asking for the site to be turned into social housing.

“We have absolutely no confidence in their so-called consultations.

“They only consult with us after they’ve made a decision.”

Kelly Grigsby, the council’s General Manager of Community Well-being, said councillors at an August meeting had resolved to consult with the community regarding the use of the Sunvale School site.

She said the council had no knowledge of the rally prior to announcing next week’s consultation.

“The timing of the community consultation is coincidental,” she said.

Ms Grigsby said the government had yet to make a decision about the future of Sunvale but a government spokesman previously told Star the government had no plans to build social housing at the site.

The rally will be held on Sunday 1 November at the former primary school in Neil St in Sunshine from 11.30am.

Sunshine residents can have their say on Sunvale and other issues affecting their community in the council’s community conversation next Thursday 5 November at the Glengala Community Centre in Glengala Rd, Sunshine.

To RSVP call Sarah Mayne on 9249 4383 by Friday.