Darebin council denies appeal asking for improved lighting at All Nations Park

A NORTHCOTE park people are too scared to walk through at night will remain in the dark for at least a year, with Darebin Council refusing a residents’ group’s appeal for better lighting on the same night Eurydice Dixon was murdered in Princes Park.

A NORTHCOTE park people are too scared to walk through at night will remain in the dark for at least a year, with Darebin Council refusing a residents’ group’s appeal for better lighting on the same night Eurydice Dixon was murdered in Princes Park.

The All Nations Park Community Action Group say it’s only “a matter of time” before someone is attacked there, after the council denied their request for better lighting, as well as other safety improvements.

The council agreed to some improvements but said there was “not capacity” to improve lighting in the current budget.

Group member and park user Elizabeth Young said they were “disappointed” and “hurt” to receive nothing but park maintenance in the budget.

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The Thornbury dog-walker said she didn’t feel safe at the park after 5.45pm unless she was in a group, and a lighting upgrade would be another step towards making Melbourne women feel safer in public spaces.

“We received this non-feedback essentially the very same day that a young women was tragically killed in a park that was very very similar to ours,” Ms Young said.

“We’re so upset and angry what happened with Eurydice [Dixon] and it’s a matter of time before something like that happens in this park.”

Darebin chief executive Sue Wilkinson said the council has a long-term commitment to community safety, but improving the lighting within a 12 month period was not possible.

“Lead times associated with investigating, specifying and seeking relevant approvals for lighting are beyond 12 months and therefore installation of lighting is not achievable in 2018-19,” Ms Wilkinson said.

“Whether lighting would improve safety has also not yet been assessed.”

Ms Young said despite two soft yellow lights in the off-lead area by the time she got home from work and visited the park “it’s pretty much pitch black.”

She said the group was asking for existing upgrades, and couldn’t understand how Darebin didn’t have the capacity when they forecast a $14.6 million surplus for the 2018-19 budget.

“They don’t need to install new infrastructure, there’s no laying cables or putting up poles, they could very easily attach floodlighting like there already is at the park near the toilets,” Ms Young said.

Ms Wilkinson said the program of works was already full and without removing something from the existing program, there wouldn’t be capacity to add this project.

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