Members of the western suburbs’ Albanian community are angry that the state government plans to compulsorily acquire land bought more than 25 years ago for a community centre.
The Albanian Australian Community Association bought a parcel of land in Rockbank in 1989 to build a centre where they could “speak their language, preserve their culture and practise their faith”.
But nothing has been built on the land since, and now it looks set to be acquired for a regional park.
As revealed by Star Weekly last month, the state government and Melton council are working with surrounding landowners to decide the final boundary of the proposed Kororoit Regional Park, which is likely to be between Clarke Road and Sinclairs Road, near the Western Highway.
One of the association’s founding members, Asip Demiri, has condemned the decision, saying the land belongs to the Albanian community, which still wants a community centre to be built.
“I was the person instrumental in purchasing the land in 1989,” Mr Demiri said. “I was also instrumental in putting a stop on a sale in 2008.
“The [Albanian] community has been kept in the dark … [not everyone] knows the government plans to acquire the land.”
‘The land is ours’
Mr Demiri said the association had been unable to build the community centre because of internal conflict.
“The land is ours and I don’t want to see anybody go near it … it’s for my son, my grandchildren and their children,” he said.
“We want a community facility on it to show what our culture means to us, what the food’s like, what the people are about.”
Association president Bashkim Bikiri said he hadn’t spoken to the members recently about the proposed park but had broadcast on local Albanian radio several times about the state government’s plans.
“We don’t want to sell it, we want to build something,” he said.
