BY MATT MALONEY 31 May, 2010 01:00 AM
The Trevallyn Parks and Improvement Association released plans last week to convert the public space into a $25,800 community vegetable garden and orchid project.
The association proposed that the gardens would benefit the elderly and needy in the immediate area, as well as Trevallyn Primary School pupils.
Resident Bill Deakin said several residents had expressed concerns over the plan, namely due to the disruptions to views and amenity that a 1.8-metre-high fence would cause, and the lack of consultation over the project.
He believed property values would decrease in time and that the garden would not be used as much as the park's green open space.
"Most people in Trevallyn are busy enough looking after their own gardens - you can see the idea falling over and gradually deteriorating into an uncared for block of land," Mr Deakin said.
No garden proposal released by group BY HAYLEY TRISTRAM - SOAPBOX 08 Jun, 2010 12:03 PM
The Trevallyn Progress and Improvement Association did not release any papers regarding the community garden proposal.
The Trevallyn Sustainability Group has been negotiating with the association for three months in an attempt to receive in-principle approval for a site for a community garden below the Trevallyn Cricket Club.
The group understands this and a much larger piece of land, which accommodates a cricket club, bowls club, tennis club and so on, has been leased by the Launceston City Council to the association since 1967.
The sustainability group seeks to add the community garden to the existing facilities on this site for the enjoyment and benefit of Trevallyn residents, and the enhancement of our environment.
As part of an ongoing process, some members of the sustainability group met the association on May 29 and presented written documentation, some of which the association had requested to inform its decision making.
This was not intended as public documentation, nor was the meeting established as a public one, but rather a meeting specifically between the Trevallyn Sustainability Group and the Trevallyn Progress and Improvement Association.
Some residents, however, attended and voiced some concerns.
It has always been the intention of the sustainability group to seek broad community support for the garden proposal, but we had considered it sensible and prudent to wait for in-principle support from the association before doing so.
As we have now become aware of some community concern due, in part, to lack of information and misperception, we intend to proceed with community consultation shortly.
There was no evening public meeting planned for May 31 to discuss the project at the stated venue and time noted in the report.
Rather, there was regular meeting of the association, which, on that evening, made it clear it did not intend to have its own agenda sidelined without prior consultation and arrangement.
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