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A breath of fresh air

20/7/2019

3 Comments

 
Picture
By Joan Woods

OUR mayor Brett Tessari has called for community input into plans for Wonthaggi’s activity centre, including the water-logged Apex Park. I wonder if all that is required is a few more drains?

Apparently this is all about preparing for the influx of new people to our town and to bring more people into the town centre.
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However, if Apex Park is “tidied up” too much with concrete and tar (the preferred improvements for townships), the Australian character of Wonthaggi will disappear. Do we want to be a proxy suburb of a big city?

This is about more than increasing rateable income. Apex Park is a small green space in the middle of town which people use. It denotes community in the middle of the holy grail of business. It is time to try to find our relationship to this earth we call Australia. We have to be willing to learn and humble enough not to follow ‘progress’ to its usual conclusion of yet more tar and concrete.  

In the past 20 years we have lost the pine trees that once lined the entrance to the west of the town.  I believe the trees were planted by school children during the war to make matchsticks. Regardless, they made a pleasant entrance to the town.

The cypress pines on the golf course have also gone and now more of this wonderful open space is up for possible development.

These were open spaces that meant cleaner air and breathing space to release the shackles of town life.

Yes, Wonthaggi does have a recognisable character that has expressed itself in the attitudes of its residents: friendly and a little laid back, because we have natural open spaces.
Space to be ourselves. This is something capital cities no longer supply.

Perhaps the biggest question for all Australians is about reconciliation. Every time the earth is disregarded, it strikes at the relevance of our First Nations people and their cultures. Hurrah! some will say, but to disregard these is to forget that the earth is our keeper, our succour and our home. Without it, we won’t exist.

So far it’s been all care and no responsibility. It’s been hard work stuffing up the earth!
​
While on the subject of open spaces adjacent to business – what about North Wonthaggi, where most of the new residents will settle? It has precious little of either. Does our council have this is hand?
3 Comments
Robyn Arianrhod
21/7/2019 10:31:49 am

Thank you Joan - yes, we absolutely must keep Wonthaggi's green spaces! We do not want the town to become just another suburb. And as you say, green spaces (and surrounding bushland) help our air quality and our sense of relaxation, and keep our connection with the earth, and with our First Nations people. Valuing these things surely has to be the way of the future, just as it was for thousands of years in the past.

Reply
Liz Glynn
21/7/2019 04:14:17 pm

Apex Park is not much of a "park" - more just a grassed space; ideal for the monthly Rotary market and other such events where clean space is required. If an attractive park for community relaxation is required that would mean a totally different mindset: landscaped plantings, seating, perhaps reinstatement of the BBQ. It has to be decided which is more important - the money the Shire gets from commercial events or the unmeasurable aesthetic value from a visually appealing public space. Still, perhaps a GOOD Landscape Architect could manage to give us both. Here's hoping.

Reply
Geoff Ellis
26/7/2019 12:17:58 am

A great summation and I agree with much that you say. Getting the drainage right and turning that bit of the rail trail between Big W and Safeway into a second Apex would be a great start. I'd be happy to see a Speakers corner and a few more seats in Apex park itself and leave it as a place to rally and gather.

One of the difficulties is to respect the intangibles and recognise our first nations people.

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