By Tate Papworth
Brimbank council has bold plans for Sydenham Park.
A draft master plan for the Keilor North site, aimed at opening up the area to the wider community, was tabled at the council’s October meeting.
Cr Bruce Lancashire said it was exciting to see the proposal go out for public consultation.
“Sydenham Park … is our largest park, with the Organ Pipes National Park to the west,” he said. “There is lots of land available for recreation sporting facilities and of course we have this amazing $65 million diamond interchange off the freeway.
“It’s not surprising that this was the site that has become part of our Matilda’s [women’s national soccer team] bid. A truly exciting opportunity, if we’re selected for further consideration, with the Matildas getting off their aircrafts from across Australia and being only 10 minutes away from their training facility.”
The master plan states that the opportunity for sports and recreation at Sydenham Park should be considered, although it is likely there will be constraints on where they can be located within the park because of standard requirements to meet desired levels of play and competition.
The iconic Robertson’s Homestead also figures in the master plan.
The plan notes that the homestead requires major restoration works to prevent further deterioration. Its location, current state and potential for future restoration is labelled for further consideration.
Cr John Hedditch said he believed more work needed to be done before the document went out for consultation.
“This has been a two-year project run by a committee of half the council, but this is a council decision and it’s one that we shouldn’t bulldoze through,” Cr Hedditch said.
“This particular piece of work has been going on for two years, we’ve had it for two weeks as councillors.
“It’s sensitive, complex and has big implications for the future of the River Valley in this area and it’s too rushed for no good apparent reason.”
