Minister Guy listened as we put our case for the Sunvale site to be retained as open spare and used for recreation, youth activities, art, and music.

Matthew Guy has undertaken to consult with key cabinet colleagues to determine a path forward and will report back in a few weeks.

The local media were invited and will be covering the story next week so stay tuned.

This is wonderful news off the back of a recent visit from the Minister for Youth and Environment earlier in the year.

More news to come

The meeting, facilitated by local MP, Bernie Finn, was a significant step forward in establishing State Government support for a Community Park in Sunshine.

Minister Smith showed strong interest in the community’s strategy for engaging children, youth and families in improving community outcomes and outlined a road map for the community to follow as it continues to pursue its vision.

It must be said that three years of lobbying the former state government was met with no interest at all, and that the change of government has brought a welcome change of approach.

Plans for a community day that makes use of this important open space are underway, and efforts to implement Minister Smith’s suggestions have commenced.

The Sunvale site remains under the management of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.

If discussions with Government proceed as hoped, there will be an opportunity for the community to have the site maintained so that it can be readily accessed for passive and active recreation.

Stay tuned for more information

The housing strategy, pushed by the former ALP State Government, continues despite

• council’s  own community consultation process that ruled out residential development
• a clear community position on the use of the site as determined at the community rally held prior to the election, and
• their own parks and gardens strategy which states that Harvester ward has the least access to open space in Brimbank.

While Brimbank Council secretly works against the community,  the community is in discussions with the Minister for Planning and the Minister for Youth Services to deliver the community vision for the site.  More information will be posted as it comes to hand.

Read the SunRRA VEAC Submission which includes a case for Sunvale.

Sunshine resident and community stalwart John Hedditch, had this letter to the editor published in The Age recently, it sums up the community view at a time when the State Government is investigating access to public open space.

Happy communities need parks, services
THE Baillieu government’s new planning broom should extend to suburbs like Sunshine where, for the past 60 years, there has been a concentration of affordable housing for new settlers.

The community is a vibrant multicultural one but has poor levels of access to the services and infrastructure most communities take for granted, including parks, playgrounds and open space. ”Healthy parks, healthy people” says Parks Victoria.

The new Victorian Government via its Victorian Environmental Assessment Council, has called for submissions on public open space. SunRRA has lodged a submission that argues the case for more parkland – and parkland of high quality. Sunvale is the centre-piece of the submission.

Read the SUNRRA submission

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Other news is that VicUrban, the State Government entity that was set to take over Sunvale at the state election is facing extinction under the new Baillieu regime.

State Government ministers have expressed a desire to meet with community representatives in the next few weeks to discuss the Vision for Sunvale. In a few short weeks we have made more progress under the Liberal Government that we did in 4 years under the Bracks/Brumby Government.

Thankyou for you emails regarding concerns with the former Sunvale PS Site.

I understand that this is an important issue for the residents of Sunshine. I support the need to maximise open space within our community and recognise the need for urban renewal. I also support proper community consultation.

In your emails you have outlined possible suggewstions for the site and identified different areas in Sunshine where future development may take place. These suggestions should be raised with your State Member Marsha Thomson who should be able to assist you.

Feel free to keep me informed of any progress.

Yours Sincerely

Bill Shorten

There was one proviso – that if the school was ever removed that the land be returned to the communtiy as open space. Land donated for public use is constantly under threat. Last year brimbank Council proposed Errington Reserve St Albans for a civic centre and earlier this year developers proposed to use RSL land in Sunshine for a social housing project. The land had been donated decades previously by H.V McKay for the use of veterans.

Please pass any information on the history of Moon’s Paddock to Sean Spencer at sean@respectthewest.net

Dear VicUrban Team,

further to my last email I am providing an update and outcomes from the Community Rally held at the Sunvale site on Sunday 3rd.

The Rally was attended by more than 130 residents of all backgrounds; I have attached a photo for your interest.

The key outcomes of the rally are summarised in the following motions, but I should note that the community is resolute that this site be retained in full for a community recreation, arts/music and youth space – and that community will do whatever it takes to achieve their vision including occupying the site if necessary.

Motions, Passed Unanimously:

1. That this meeting of the Sunshine Community re-affirms its position that the former Sunvale P.S site, previously known as Moon’s paddock, be retained in its entirety as open space and that walking path, exercise stations, playground, community vegetable garden, native sensory garden, skate park, basketball court, outdoor amphitheatre and an
outdoor potter’s kiln form the basis of the community vision for a green gym and arts/music space.

2. That an action group be immediately established to progress the implementation of the community vision as stated in motion 1.

3. That the rally organiser writes to VicUrban, all State and Federal MPs who represent this area, and all known candidates for the 2010 State Election seeking their position on Sunvale – with the community, or against the community.

4. That the rally organiser writes to the Brimbank Council Administrators seeking a progress report on their March 2010 council decision to include community in the planning for use of the Sunvale land.

5. That the rally organiser writes to the The Western Suburbs Community and Unions Coalition, and the unions that form the Building Industry Group seeking their support in obtaining the site for a community park and for the immediate implementation of Green Bans to prevent works on the site that are counter to the community position.

I again ask that VicUrban take the community’s strong-held views and pass on the acquisition of this land parcel so that it may be offered to Brimbank Council for purchase.

Yours sincerely

Sean Spencer
SaveSunvale.com