YOUR SAY: What Lismore thinks of the Lismore Park proposal

THE Lismore Park project has attracted hundreds of likes and comments -some brutally critical, others glowing with support.

LISMORE PARK: Plans for the $21.5 million plan for Lismore's own 'central park'.

LISMORE residents have shared their thoughts on the Lismore Park project on The Northern Star's Facebook page, and the opinions vary wildly.

Some have celebrated the idea of a central park in the middle of Lismore, particularly as a magnet for young families and cultural events such as open air concerts and festivals.

Others are cautiously optimistic, but warn that it must be carefully designed to be safe at night and be built to withstand flooding.

Then there are the naysayers, who argued the council should focus on its road network, while others would prefer to see the old lake pool returned to its former glory. (The council recently voted to bulldoze the defunct site).

We've broken a selection of the comments down into three categories - for, neutral, and against.

FOR

Bill Fry wrote: "This would be great for families to enjoy, much more than the art gallery. Yes fix the roads but at least this is a step in the right direction to boosting local economy!"

Elise Dowd said the park could be a "great space for families" if "executed properly".

"There is currently NOTHING to do in Lismore for families with many families travelling elsewhere to fill their days," she wrote. "If this keeps families in Lismore, great. But the execution and location will need to be thoroughly thought out."

In a later comment Ms Dowd added that the area needed a feature such as the proposed water playground. "That's something that MY family would use. Family events in the town...that's something MY family would use."

Annie Bransgrove said the park was a much better proposal than the art gallery currently under construction. "As a young mother of two I'm not going to spend my weekends taking my kids to look at art. This is something the area needs."

Barbara E. Bear wrote that her hometown built a Central Park and it was a "huge winner". "It has been a very positive development... they have regular concerts in warm weather, movie nights, daytime and evening markets, and it's the centre of action for the major festival of the town too, to name a few benefits."

Jocelyn LovesSparkles wrote the park "sounds lovely". "I hope we get the funding."

Alicia Garam said it was an "awesome idea".

Neutral

Carley Hill said it was a "great idea for families and more things to do in the area... although it's not the best idea being in flood zone."

"I also agree that the roads and homeless need to be accounted for," she said.

Ayesha Love wrote that the park needed security cameras and good lighting.

"I already find plastic bongs and broken glass three times at the kids' playground. The area will be beautiful if they make it but it has to be looked after."

Against

Mourning the lake pool

Daniel Jonesy Jones wrote "why not fix up the lake... and bring back the speed boats, which brings in events."

"As for this land here, why not build better sporting fields on it."

Steve Morry asked "Will it have a swimming lake and a ski lake? If so, sign me up. If not, yeah na mate!"

Anne Cork wrote "clean the lake up and save hundreds of dollars".

'Council can't afford it'

Brian Grey said the council couldn't afford to look after the parks it already had, which meant any maintenance on other parks "just won't happen".

Renae Dale wrote that the park looked "far fetched and over budget" since the council had parks already that needed maintenance. "A 'small' park would be good near town or the square."

Makayla Sheaffe wrote "why would you waste millions of dollars on building another in a flood prone area?!! The roads need to be fixed first and a lot of other things need fixing before they even consider this waste of money."

"And how long would it take until its vandalised? A day? A week? A month?"

"Why can't the council focus on things that are more important instead of building things that we don't need, like a boat that doesn't float for instance."

'Won't get used'

Jodie Davis said the park "will be burnt, trashed, damaged and pulled apart in the first six months".

Simon Pagotto wrote that "to understand placemaking is to understand why it will not work".

"Placemaking works where there is high density population with small living areas, they use the areas like their own living room."

"Add to that it will (go) under water in severe downfalls but not necessary floods I just don't get it."