By Mikayla van Loon
The final concept design plans for 150 Cambridge Road have been approved after a unanimous vote by Yarra Ranges councillors solidified the next step of the open space’s development.
With the landmark decision to purchase Kilsyth’s former Pembroke High School site in 2022, community consultation on the future of the land began in late 2023.
“In my time on council, I have never seen something that council has done that has been so universally accepted by so many people as this purchase of this block of land has been,” Councillor Len Cox said at the Tuesday 27 August council meeting.
A draft concept was released in May this year for community feedback, receiving an average rating of four out of five stars for all aspects of the design from 152 votes.
The 3.6 hectare site, Cr Cox said, needs a facelift after the demolition of the old school buildings left “parts of it in quite poor condition”.
“It makes me very, very happy to say that this development, as it’s out there on the concept plan, will be developed over the next few years,” he said.
“It’s a development that will continue to improve over some years, and I’m sure that all our grandchildren, and even further on than that, will get great pleasure out of using this piece of land, this parkland and and it’ll go on like that in the future.”
The design includes meandering paths and walkways, bike jump tracks, nature play areas, quiet spaces, improved car parking, public toilets and a multipurpose half court.
“It’s a great thing for the future community of Kilsyth, Mooroolbark, Montrose, anybody that lives close to this,” seconder to the motion, Cr Richard Higgins said.
“This will be a unique park that has Australian plants and something different [for the community]. It will complement the park next to it, the footy oval in the middle, in my opinion, and it’s something that’s going to be there for many, many, many years.”
Also speaking in support of the concept plan, Cr Andrew Fullagar said it hit all the markers for an appropriate use of the open space.
“The aim to maximise the future use of it with appropriate sympathetic facilities and connectivity within and throughout the community, passive recreation outcomes are there, there’s quiet reflective spaces, and the social implications are also very important and evident throughout the plan,” he said.
“There’s broad appeal across age groups, it supports multiple simultaneous activities and a green space destination, which I know is close to Cr Cox’s heart as well.”
Cr Jim Child, Cr Johanna Skelton and Cr Tim Heenan all reflected on the necessity of this open space for Kilsyth with the development of more housing likely in the future.
“800,000 homes in 10 years, and this particular public open space project, if we hadn’t made the decision back when we did, the State Government, I don’t believe would ever entertain selling that parcel of land for that price that we got it for,” Cr Child said.
Cr Skelton also mentioned her pleased reaction to seeing a plan that reflected the current uses of the land but just enhanced the community’s wishes.
“[It really responded] to what the community had already used the site for, so obviously, once the school was removed, it was used for walking. It was used by young people to develop their bike tracks,” she said.
“I loved that the team just built on what was recognised and valued…whilst it’s still quite a long term plan that’s before us here…I think it’s just going to be a beautiful space and retain the things that people love and already want to use it for, but still give it that that beauty and professionalism.”
The first stage of the plan will be a community planting day on 14 September.
“Don’t miss it. It’ll be a lot of fun. It’d be great to see the local community planting the plants and going back in years to come and hopefully finding the tree still there and thriving in the community park,” Cr Higgins said.
The motion gained the support of all councillors.
