SAVE CITIZENS PARK
From Yarra City Council 26 November Meeting
Page 127 Motion PASSED
17/01 - UPDATE - Mayor Stephen Jolly to visit Citizens Park on Sat 25 Jan at 9am to provide an update on this situation. Please come along with your doggo (if you have one) to show him how important Citizens Park is to us.
Sign our petition for Council
to do proper community consultation to keep the park INCLUSIVE, and let us know how this change will
impact you and your 4 legged family.
We now have over 450 supporters! Click here to read how this will impact your fellow citizens.
Background:
New Councillors have proposed to remove dogs
from Citizens Park.
They believe they have a mandate
from dog owners who are complaining about limited access during sports. If dog
owners knew of the alternative (or lack thereof) they would not be complaining. The sports clubs are also unhappy, we generously built them a clubhouse, and now they want the Citizens Park all to themselves. The people who don't clean up after their dogs will keep using it anyway, and those of us who follow the rules will be punished. Why not just invest some time to engage with the community and try and encourage responsible dog behaviour. This is putting the selfishness of a few recreational sports people first, and disregarding the rest of society. We keep hearing about how inclusive these sports clubs are and it's not about performance, yet they expect perfectly manicured lawns within a few kms of the CBD, to the EXCLUSION of all others.
There is no viable alternative
within walking distance of the current park. There is limited open space in
Richmond, do not let the council restrict who can access this. Council want to
increase density but limit access to open spaces. Is it fair that a few
recreational sports clubs obtain exclusive access to a 30-50 million-dollar
facility, so it can then sit there dormant for 90% of the time, and our rates
are likely paying for the upkeep!!?? Outrageous, and out of touch. Sports clubs
all over the country must share their spaces with others, why, of all places
where land is at a premium, would they be REDUCING access to CITIZENS? Many
people that use Citizens Park, go there multiple times a day. It is an active
and vibrant community representing all sections of society. People do not want
to have to get in their car (if they even have one) to DRIVE their dogs to
Cremorne. Check this map out below, where are
they going to find any green open space even 1 / 8th of the size of
current park. It is just not possible. We are mobilising and building a site to show how this will impact
the community. Please visit
here to sign the petition and tell us how this change will impact you. https://forms.office.com/r/NsiQABNVPD Its councils responsibility to
engage widely, listen and make decisions that best represent the needs of the
community Cr Sharon Harrison (Boulevard Ward) wrote
in her recent campaign leaflet. Yes please Councillor,
do what you said. Why are you re-visiting this topic
it has already been dealt with many times https://yoursayyarra.com.au/citizens-park/how-can-citizens-park-best-be-shared-all-park-users What else can you do?
E-mail or call your Melba and Lennox Ward Councillors and the Yarra Mayor Tell them what you think
about these plans. [email protected] (Lennox Ward Councillor) 0498 648 663 [email protected]
(Mayor and MacKillop Councillor) 0437 856 713 [email protected] (Melba Ward Councillor) 0419 844 362
