State Budget 2019: New track and adventure playground coming to Wattle Park

Families already love the popular Burwood park with its own W-class tram, but a $4.3 million state budget promise means there will soon be more reasons to visit.

Bennettswood Venturers from left Sarah, Georgie, Lauren, Ashleigh and Kylara on the Wattle Park tram.

Burwood’s popular Wattle Park will get a $4.3 million revamp as part of a cash injection for the Whitehorse region promised in the state budget.

Under the revamp a ‘Tan-style’ running track will be built at Burwood’s popular Wattle Park, plus a new children’s adventure playground.

Koonung Secondary College has also been guaranteeed funding to demolish and replace its 54-year-old classrooms.

Premier Daniel Andrews previously said the upgrade would allow even more families to enjoy the “beautiful” park.

“It is such an important part of this region,” Mr Andrews said.

On his Facebook page Burwood state Labor MP Will Fowles said more details would be released on the park plan soon.

The Budget also reveals a number of longer-term state projects in Whitehorse will start in the next year, with money put towards improving the area’s transport infrastructure.

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The government allocated $6.6 billion towards ensuring a series of level crossings will be removed by 2025 — including the ones at Union Rd in Surrey Hills and at Mont Albert Rd in Mont Albert.

The State Government will spend $4.3 million at Wattle Park.

Both Surrey Hills and Mont Albert will also get new train stations, but a timeline for the individual projects — and when they will take place in the next six years — is yet to be revealed.

Work on a future cycling corridor between Box Hill and Hawthorn is also set to get started in the next 12 months, with $370,000 going towards developing a plan for a “safe and low-stress” path.

The Budget will also fuel planning for the Andrews’ Government’s new 90km train line — the Suburban Rail Loop — which will have an underground station in Box Hill, and potentially another at Deakin University in Burwood.

And the Budget fully funds the $15.8 billion North East Link, which will connect the M80 Ring Rd at Greensborough to the Eastern Freeway at Bulleen Rd.

Looking ahead, the state has put $7.25 million aside to purchase land in Whitehorse where a future Chinese aged-care facility will be built.

Blackburn’s gurudwara Sri Guru Nanak Sabha Blackburn is also getting $1 million for upgrades, and there is $650,000 going towards the new sporting pavilion being built at Blackburn’s Morton Park.