Open discussion on open space

 Work to beautify the open space beneath Noble Park’s sky rail has started, but who’ll look after it is still undecided.
An off-leash dog park, a table tennis zone, a fitness area, picnic spaces and more are on their way to the 8.7 hectares freed up by raising the rail line to remove the level crossings at Heatherton, Chandler and Corrigan roads.
Workers are already making progress and the project is due for completion mid-year.
But Greater Dandenong Council’s city planning, design and amenity director Jody Bosman said the matter of maintaining the space was complex.
He said that was due in part to the number of land titles and agencies owning those titles, as well as the nature of that space.
“In some cases it is unimproved open space and in other cases improved with amenities such as the dog-off-leash area and play areas,” he said.
Mr Bosman said the council and various agencies, including the Level Crossing Removal Authority (LXRA), were discussing how best to approach the ongoing maintenance.
“It is certainly not true to say that we have disagreement,” he said.
“Discussions are very much alive and being conducted in an open and honest environment between all parties and we hope to be in a position to finalise these in the next few months.”