FRUSTRATED Sunshine residents remain in the dark over the future of the former Sunvale Primary School site.
The site has been languishing since September 2009 after a merger with Sunshine East and Braybrook primary schools to form Sunshine Harvester Primary.
Residents have been pushing for the site to be opened up as public space.
But they are no closer to hearing a decision more than 18 months after the Education Department announced its intention to offload the land.
Brimbank Council is interested but is running out of time to include its purchase in this year’s budget.
Save Sunvale spokesman Sean Spencer said a recent meeting with Western Metropolitan Liberal MP Bernie Finn and council representatives was promising, but the council’s hands were tied until the department confirmed its intentions.
“The fact Brimbank Council is keen to develop the site as a park is significant. In our favour is the fact that the site is still there and has not been sold off to developers.”
Brimbank chairman Peter Lewinsky said the council was still pursuing use of the site as open space.
“The council has been recommending the state government develop a substantial park that has a playground, seating, possible shelter, paths and significant tree planting,” he said.
Mr Finn said he pushed the open space proposal “very hard” in talks last Thursday with Planning Minister Matthew Guy, who visited the site last June.
An Education Department spokesman said it was working with the council to reach a “mutually agreeable outcome”.
