Springvale Traders and Communities Association president Le Hoa Wysham says the City of Greater Dandenong should not consider selling off the land at the civic precinct as suggested in the soontobereleased structure plan.By Nathan Johnston
A COUNCIL plan for the future of Springvale has enraged local residents and businesspeople – even before it has been released to the public.
The Springvale Activity Centre Structure Plan, which cost the City of Greater Dandenong up to $100,000, will be released soon and put on exhibition for six weeks.
It includes numerous references to a possible sale of council assets, such as the council offices and library at its civic precinct on Springvale Road.
Cr Roz Blades recently returned from an overseas holiday to find “savage” messages on her answering machine about the plan following reports in the media.
She supported the residents.
“Over my dead body will the town hall and library be sold,” Cr Blades said.
At its meeting on Monday night the council voted to put the structure plan out for public comment.
In a separate motion, Cr Youhorn Chea managed to convince the present council that both the town hall and library should be off limits for future development.
Only mayor Maria Sampey’s casting vote tipped the matter in favour of Cr Chea’s plea.
But some of the councillors believe all alternatives included in the structure plan were worth considering when developing the 10year plan for Springvale.
According to the plan, a new and expanded library, learning centre and customer service centres would “ideally” be located closer to the core of Springvale.
“The future needs of the Springvale Library cannot be met within the current building,” the document states.
The plan identifies councilowned land along Lightwood Road and Warwick Avenue as an alternative site, and says the best use for the civic precinct land would be for housing.
But Springvale Traders Association president Le Hoa Wysham, who is also a real estate agent, said it would be impossible to find a better place for the facilities than the existing site.
“It was hard enough when the police were looking for land for their new complex,” she said.
“In the end the council had to sell off part of Andrew Eriksson Gardens, which is now lost to the community forever.
“This would be the same.
“From a real estate point of view, there might be more homes to sell, but there would be no benefit to the community.
“There’s not enough parkland and open space in Springvale as it is.
“The council appears to be slowly removing itself from Springvale,” Ms Wysham said.
“The community should get together and fight this.”
But Cr Naim Melhem believes all options should be investigated.
“This is just a plan to provide a sense of direction,” he told Monday night’s council meeting.
“It’s not necessarily a plan to be endorsed by this council. It’s just a direction – a vision, but it can be changed.
“This is a great document. The council should support it, put it on exhibition, then listen to what the people have to say,” Cr Melham said. “Our council officers have done all the work at great cost to the council, and now you want to throw it away?”
But Cr Peter Brown said there was no reason to move the library and other public facilities.
“It’s all there now. These plans are not realistic,” he said. “It’s not a document I would want to put out for public comment because it’s so detrimental.”
The plan will be on display at council’s community centres, service centres and libraries.
The council is expected to release details of the exhibition process in coming weeks.
