Kingston looks forward to the delivery of the Chain of Parks

17 December 2018

Kingston’s Council’s long-held vision for a Chain of Parks in the Green Wedge is one step closer thanks to the Victorian Government’s commitment to fund the transformational project. 

The Chain of Parks would create linked open spaces for the community to enjoy all the way from Karkarook Park to Braeside Park.

Kingston Mayor Georgina Oxley said Council is passionate about creating a welcoming and usable Green Wedge and looks forward to working closely with the Victorian Government to bring the Chain of Parks to life.

“We’re thrilled that the Victorian Government will take action to buy the land to create new parklands for the community to enjoy,” Cr Oxley said.

Priority sites for the Chain of Parks include the former Henry Street landfill site, the Delta site on Heatherton Road (which has been earmarked for a regional sporting facility) and parts of the former Clayton Regional

Landfill and Deals Road sites. All of these sites have Public Acquisition Overlays in place which would allow the Victorian Government to acquire them.

For more than 30 years, Kingston Council has advocated for changes to put an end to landfill in Kingston and replace them with much-needed parkland for the community to enjoy.

“As a result of years of work, three years ago the Victorian Planning Minister introduced protections to outlaw any new landfills opening in Kingston’s Green Wedge,” said Cr Oxley. “We are now celebrating the closure and rehabilitation of old landfill sites.”

Kingston is also adding to parkland in the area and recently opened the new 36ha Spring Road Reserve on a former landfill site.   “Looking at it today, it’s hard to believe that the Spring Road Reserve was filled with waste for about 25 years, before it was capped, and a landfill gas extraction system was installed in 1995.”

Other former landfill sites which have been closed for rehabilitation works include:

“We will also close the Victory Road landfill and the Enviromix Composting site in 2019, and plan to transform the clean-fill Delta Site on Kingston Road into a sports ground, after it is filled,” said Cr Oxley.