The Story from Opportunity to Kadidjiny

An Opportunity

In 2002 the Education Department of Western Australia advised it would be constructing a new school on the lower southern portion of the Melville Primary School site. The balance of the site, approximately 3.8ha, was to be sold off.  This presented an opportunity for land use/development possibly including public open space.

The Lobbying

The Residents of Melville recognised this unique opportunity, and began lobbying their local councilors and the City of Melville for the establishment of a new park on the vacated land. The Melville Outdoor Recreation Emergency (MORE) group was established in 2003 as a result, with one member eventually becoming a Councilor. Since 2006, this community group has been known as the MORE Community Group Incorporated.

Public Consultation

The City of Melville sought public comment on a number of alternative proposals for provision of public open space and land use/development for this land. Six-hundred and fifty submissions were received, and of these respondents, 87% indicated support for the acquisition of the government land. Some 75% of respondents ranked open space to be very important and indicated retaining vegetation, having a park within 400m of residences,  more community facilities and maintaining biodiversity as more important than the concern about the cost of purchasing the land. With the suburb of Melville significantly lacking in public open space and the community feedback, Council resolved to purchase the entire 3.8 ha of land for public open space.

Developing the Land

Upon the Council decision to purchase the land, further public consultation took place about the scope of the project and the community’s aspirations/hopes for the site. Lengthy discussions and information dissemination processes were initiated culminating in December 2006 with the preparation of an initial Master Plan for the site.

During 2007, several old primary school buildings were demolished and minor soil remediation was carried out to ensure the site was made suitable for the proposed public purposes. The City of Melville took acquisition of the site in 2008, allowing for the commencement of an expression of interest for the management of the three remaining buildings. Unfortunately during the lengthy acquisition process the condition of two of the buildings deteriorated, resulting in their demolition. The remaining old school library building was leased to the MORE Community Group Inc. for community use.

In May 2008 the City commissioned the preparation of a Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) report which highlighted a number of issues including opening the site for visual surveillance. This resulted in the preparation of a revised Master Plan of the whole site. The playground was relocated to the elevated north-west corner, earthworks were to be carried out to reduce the severity of the existing terracing and particular trees and plantings were to be removed or pruned to allow visual corridors through the site.

Funding the Park Development

Preliminary cost estimates for the revised master plan, necessitated a staged approached to the development of the park. Council funds were to be committed to the project over several years to allow for the entire site to be developed.  Fortunately in May 2009, funding became available from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, providing the opportunity to fast track the development of the park. The City now anticipates the entire site will be developed by September 2010 (within 18 months).

Creating a Place for Everyone

The City of Melville looks forward to celebrating the completion of an iconic public open space with landscaped parkland, playground and natural bush area, a place for everyone.