Dandenong Council will turn old kinder sites into parks
TWO former kinder sites will be turned into ‘pocket parks’ in Dandenong and Springvale to create much-needed open space for the community.
South East
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TWO former kinder sites will be turned into ‘pocket parks’ in Dandenong and Springvale to create much-needed open space for the community.
The sites at 6-8 Fifth Ave Dandenong and 90 Gove St Springvale were set to be sold by Greater Dandenong Council and potentially developed into housing.
But at this week’s council meeting, Cr Matthew Kirwan successfully moved they be turned into parks instead.
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“My argument was both of these areas are going to significantly grow with population over the next 10 to 20 years,” Cr Kirwan said.
“This was a golden opportunity to create pocket parks in both of these locations because the future of these neighbourhoods is that many people won’t have any backyards or will have very small backyards so the need for parkland is going to grow year by year.”
He said there was an opportunity to do something creative with the sites, including establishing community or sensory gardens.
The council and Education Department worked together a couple of years ago to relocate the kinders to new primary schools as part of a community hub project.
Cr Kirwan said the existing kinder buildings on the site would likely be demolished.
Dandenong Community Association’s Silvia Mastrogiovanni said there was a desperate need for more open space in the area, and believed the sites would become places where people could mingle and chat.
“Otherwise if you don’t have (those spaces) you just destroy the heart and soul of the city, you just end up with concrete, and you don’t have a sense of community,” Ms Mastrogiovanni said.
Peta Rose, who lives near the Dandenong site, said she was pleased it would become a park.
“I think the area needs a small, community park because it’s straight across from a childcare centre and during pick-up and drop-off times it will be a meeting point for parents to chat to each other,” Ms Rose said.
“Older ladies also walk in the area, so it will be a great area for them to sit and talk for awhile.
“I’d love to see some sort of garden put in there as well.”
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