Hans Paas, Castlemaine
A project for an enhanced ‘play space’ in Victory Park (‘Budget blowout’, Express, April 23) prompts me to ask; “what were they thinking?”
The re-purposing of what has for long been a quiet reflective space adjacent to the town’s war memorial and RSL Building is a bad one regardless of the “ridiculous price” as one of our councillors put it.
When this park is not a setting for significant civic events, it is a place where staff can take a much-needed break from the pressure of working in retail. Visitors to Castlemaine can sit and read information provided by our wonderful information centre in the Market Building and the elderly can find some tranquillity and enjoy birdsong and maybe the sounds of the buskers in Mostyn Street.
Instead, at prohibitive cost, this oasis in the heart of our town is to become a child magnet.
What of the far superior and safe children’s play and family space at the botanic gardens? Are parents going to be tempted to leave their children unattended near some of our busiest intersections while they do their shopping? Will this contradictory use of the park lead to conflict between young and old?
I suppose the answers to these kinds of questions would have been given at the confidential briefings but we’ll never really know.
