By Tyler Wright
Skateboarders in Emerald are being urged to have their say on the potential construction of a skate park in the town’s Worrell Recreation Reserve as the Cardinia Shire Council opens its proposed budget for public feedback.
Plans for monitored skateboarding facilities at the reserve were referred to in the Worrell Recreational Reserve Master Plan adopted by council in 2020, with the project still awaiting funding.
Vanessa Kewish, Emerald local and organiser of the Emerald Village Exercise & Recreation Group, said local children are in need of this new recreational space on the reserve’s netball courts and the replacement of the library park play space.
“We’ve noticed that all these kids were building ramps everywhere … on the side of the road, and they would take their dirt bike or their skateboard and they’d jump off these dirt ramps and wood ramps that they’d made, and they were so unsafe,” Ms Kewish said.
“I started a little group [in September] and overnight I had 760 [people] in the group.”
The group proposed a ‘Pop Up Skatepark’ last year as a temporary remedy to meet the community’s needs and a Gofundme saw almost $6,000 raised – but the focus has now moved to having a permanent skate park and youth recreation area included in this year’s final budget to be released in June.
“In that [feedback] space, you can actually say ‘hey, I live in Emerald, I’m this old and I want the skatepark for kids and here’s why,” Vanessa said.
Accessibility to recreational facilities for youth aged between nine and 18 is a main issue in Emerald, and Vanessa said she has consulted with community groups such as the Emerald Village Association and received support.
“I think the community here just wants a plan, we want to know what’s happening,” she said.
Cardinia Shire Councillor, Mayor Jeff Springfield, said he is advocating for the recreational space and skate park design works to be done in the next financial year.
“It took us two years to put the plan together with community consultation to establish what the best needs were for the community for this recreation space we have in Worrell Reserve,” Cr Springfield said.
“I believe there is a need for enhanced facilities across our Shire and Emerald certainly is a very worthy candidate to see more of this progress…
“These things do take time to deliver.”
Cr Springfield said he encourages the community to advocate for projects they would like to see delivered by the Shire in their locality.
“I’m trying to encourage, in the background, to get the community on board, because this is their budget,” he said.
“We’re all shareholders in the business that is Cardinia Shire and where those dividends are paid out in delivering community infrastructure like this is really important.”
Worrell Recreation Reserve is home to groups such as the local tennis, cricket and football clubs and houses the Hills Hub.
New works have recently been completed at the site, including a new pavilion funded by Cardinia Shire Council, as well as new sports oval lighting and high ball catching net jointly funded by council and the State Government.
The Cardinia Shire Council Budget is a four-year rolling budget, adopted annually.
You can view the Cardinia Shire’s Proposed Budget for 2022 to 2026 and have your say here http://www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/haveyoursay, by post addressed to Cardinia Shire Council’s Chief Finance Officer, Scott Moore, PO Box 7, Pakenham, Victoria, 3810 or via email at mail@cardinia.vic.gov.au
Viewing and comment will be available until 5:00pm on 11 May.
