Peachester park reprieve

Peachester park thrown a lifeline

By Greg Brown

A wave of relief swept over the Peachester community at Easter when the Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, Dr Mark Lynham, gave the locals something else to celebrate. Dr Lynham announced he had postponed the sale of the High Street land that the community wants to become a public park.

The auction was to be held on May 18, but the Minister has now given Sunshine Coast Council time to negotiate with his department, which could preserve the space for future generations.

Dr Lynham told GC&M News that in response to community feedback, he had instructed the department to defer the proposed sale of the freehold property in Peachester.

“Instead I have asked my department to liaise with the Sunshine Coast Council so that we might be able to reach an agreement on future use of the land,” he said.

Although not the perfect outcome, the Peachester community is gearing up for the next stage of its campaign.

On Good Friday, more than 50 people met for a community information session where local Sally Joyce said accessible nature play spaces were vital for the growth of healthy communities and healthy children. “And that is exactly what High Street is,” Ms Joyce said.

“We are thankful that the Minister, [local Member for Glass House] Andrew Powell and Cr Rick Baberowski have listened to the community thus far.

“It would be futile for the community and the Minister to give up on our children’s rights to a place to play at this stage when there is a beautiful space waiting to be played in already in the heart of our little village.

“We don’t want or need an expensive Aura type park as the space is perfect as is.

“However, some toilets and table amenities would make life a little more comfortable.

“Peachester has been very patient but our patience has worn thin and our momentum is growing very quickly,” said Ms Joyce, flagging their resolve to keep up the fight.

To focus the drive for a new park, a community meeting will be held at the Peachester Hall on Friday, May 10 starting at 6.30pm.

Head along if you would like to learn more or contribute to what the community park might include.

The meeting will be followed by a free screening of ‘The Neighbourhood Play Project’, a documentary about how the health of a nation can be measured by the health of the children in the neighbourhood.

All members of the community are urged to watch this timely documentary about what it takes to maintain a healthy community for children to grow up in. It takes a village.

To read more about the documentary, go to www.natureplayqld.org.au/neighbourhoodplayproject.

A petition is also available to be signed at the Peachester Fruit Shop, Peachester Café, Peachester General Store and Frohloff’s Fruit Shop.