Epsom residents push to keep Melbury Court playground at City of Greater Bendigo listening post

The playground could be removed as part of the Greater Bendigo Public Space Plan, which the City of Greater Bendigo adopted in July, 2018.

The plan also proposed to develop nearby park spaces in Botanical Drive and Greenview Circuit.

Grandmother Suzanne Brown lives near the Melbury Court playground and regularly takes her five young grandchildren to the park.

She was one of the residents who voiced their concerns at listening post on Wednesday night.

"This whole situation is flawed," Mrs Brown said. "I can't understand why they would take away something that is functional, that is being used and probably will be used for a long time."

City of Greater Bendigo coordinator of public space design Aaron Lindsay listened to residents on Wednesday.

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Mr Lindsay said the City would be prepared to incorporate junior play equipment at the Botanical Drive playground if the Melbury Court playground was removed.

But Mrs Brown and other residents said the Botanical Drive play space would not facilitate the growing population around Goynes Road and Buckland Street, Epsom.

"I don't think the design for Botanical Drive is right," Mrs Brown said. "I would never use it. As a grandparent, I wouldn't be able to walk that far with my grandchildren.

"You just have to have a look around and see how many grandparents were here tonight. We don't put our grandchildren in the car to go to a playground."

A number of residents at the listening post voiced concerns the City of Greater Bendigo wanted to knock down the Melbury Court playground with the intention of selling the land to developers.

"They have had surveyors there," Mrs Brown said. "I saw them a couple of weeks ago. We haven't heard the truth from (the City), I think. I don't think it will remain as a public space."

But Mr Lindsay told residents the City was not planning to sell the public land. He said the City wanted to close the playground as part of a wider effort to create more advanced play spaces for children.

Residents from the Epsom community have created and signed a petition to keep the Melbury Court playground.

The petition will go to City of Greater Bendigo councillors at their November meeting.

"I can't understand why they would knock down a functioning playground," Mrs Brown said. "Why are they picking some places over others?

"Epsom is dying for more play areas. Why are they taking away what is already here?"

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