Howdy dear availees...just a super-quick post to confirm what I 'alleged' last post...most of what appears here I've shamelessly self-plagiarised from TMGIs' Facebook page...
As stated in the title, Mt Gambier City Council is planning to, and may possibly already have committed to, sell the entire Hastings Cunningham Reserve precinct to be sub-divided for housing.
This would mean losing the open parkland area, the soccer and tennis clubs, the dog parks, all the community clubrooms, and the BMX and Pump tracks.
Council have evicted the tennis club months ago and stopped the Pump track expansion they started a year ago, and has also cleared extensive areas adjacent the Reserve area ready for sale, eg, the old rail roundhouse area, the old Council depot, the old cement factory area, etc.
It is widely believed and I am stating it as a matter of fact that MGCC has effectively 'bankrupted' Mt Gambier with their incompetence, deceits and corruption with the $100m Wulanda 'Hub', and are desperate to try and finance the massive loan(s?) related to that disastrous project.
Again, whilst MGCC and their complicit local media mates continue to state the cost at "$62m", Councils' own Budget costings admit a $80m-$85m price tag, but several people directly involved have assured me that it's closer to and likely over $100m...this includes the works/costs Council are trying to hide in other parts of their Budget...
Given that Federal and State funding totalled $25m, that leaves a minimum MGCC debt of $55m, but more likely it's around $70m+.
I also understand that Council have taken out this loan(s?) without locking in Interest Rates, and therefore the debt is increasing with every Rate rise.
As previously stated, I believe that the Malinauskas Labor State government will be/is desperately keen to avoid being saddled with MGCCs' debt, and to avoid having to bail-out the MGCC, my mate Mali/Labor will therefore automatically approve any requisite applications/re-zonings/whatevs, if those approvals haven't already been sought and/or provided.
I re-iterate my belief, as supported/shared by many others, that the recent Malinauskus-driven attempt to force Council Amalgamation on Mt Gambier and Grant District residents, that brain-fart was in reality spawned by that same motivation, an attempt to delay/divert MGCCs' 'bankruptcy' by spreading the debt load across the 2 Councils.
I am 100% confidant in predicting that this sale, should it proceed, will see the huge and very valuable area sold-off at well below market value to Councillors' family members/friends/mates, or a combination of all 3...I also note that with Interest Rates currently so high, the actual value is greatly distorted.
It has also come to my attention that MGCC has for 2 years now refused to renew the leases for the 6-7 community groups who use the old Reidy Park buildings adjacent the netball area in Olympic Park. Council is allegedly stonewalling/delaying/avoiding and tenants are currently on month-at-a-time leases...I cannot say whether this is because of the 'bankruptcy' and Council cannot/will not afford basic maintenance, or if Council plans to bulldoze those buildings to expand the Hub carpark...could be a combination of both.
I haven't been able to confirm or disprove the several claims made to me that the Hastings Cunningham Reserve precinct was "bequeathed" to the citizens of Mt Gambier, but it was named after a prominent local identity from the mid-1800s...he did donate other land elsewhere in town...
I'll be fascinated to see if Councillor Josh Lynagh will use his 'entirely altruistic' public notification Limestone Coast Community News website to alert the residents of Mt Gambier about MGCC's plans to sell-off the priceless public asset that is the Hastings Cunningham Reserve...Josh is very vocal about what a great service he is and/or does for Mt Gambier, so obviously he'll be red-hot in exposing and opposing this disastrously corrupt shenanigans...but I won't be holding my breath...
I also note and wholly reject for the corrupt pro-sale justification propaganda that it so obviously is, this (attached) piece of professionally performative political pantomime from MGC Councillor Frank 'The Jellyfish That Grew A Spine And Roared Like A Mouse From It's Ivory Tower' Morello...it would seem to confirm that Council was angling to justify closing the dog park, as part of the sell-off agenda, as early as April 2022...***
Hastings Cunningham dog park not up to scratch
Charlotte Varcoe
DOG owners have been avoiding Hastings Cunningham Reserve’s dog park due to its deteriorating state, according to City Councillor Frank Morello.
Cr Morello’s motion, which was adopted at the meeting, asked that council engage with dog park users to seek their views on how the dog park facilities should be managed and maintained.
“As a popular community asset, the much-loved site should be maintained to the highest possible standard,” the notice of motion from Cr Morello read.
Elected members questioned whether the issues could be rectified immediately with the council’s general manager city infrastructure Barbara Cernovskis saying general maintenance had been put in place at the facility for other issues such as broken locks.
Ms Cernovskis suggested elected members engage in conversations with members of the public about both maintenance and capital works for the area.
Speaking to The Border Watch about the issue, dog owner and trainer Karen Brooksby said the facilities were not just the responsibility of council, but also of those who used the facility.
Ms Brooksby said better shaded areas and more seating could be installed by council, however owners also needed to respect the facilities to make it worthwhile.
“I am not sure if council could afford it but they could also change some of the paths in the area so it isn’t gravel,” Ms Brooksby said.
“However I do think the improvement could also be with the dog owners and not just up to council.”
Calling the two off-leash enclosures within the dog park “fantastic”, Ms Brooksby said the community and dog owners needed to be more aware of the benefits the park brings to Mount Gambier.
“What we have here is an enclosed, safe area and it is important for dog owners and handlers to make sure their responsibility is to be mindful of other people when they are entering the facility,” she said.
“There has been a lot of time where dogs in the park have rushed the gates and not all dogs who enter the area are confident.
“I have been rushed myself when I have entered the park with my dog Bella and all the dogs got inside the gate, it can be quite scary.”
Aware some dog owners avoided the park all together due to untrained dogs using the park, Ms Brooksby said there was no excuse for poor behaviour.
“There are a lot of dog trainers around Mount Gambier and it doesn’t take much when you get a puppy or a dog to spend a few months training it and doing some work with it,” she said.
“It results in a happier dog and a better sociable dog in public and it doesn’t take long for things to escalate and there could be more people in the community who use the park’s services who could step up and be a bit more mindful and appreciative.
“It is also about dog owners respecting the boundaries of the dogs, just as we would respect our own boundaries.”
She said it was also important for those using the parks to pick up after themselves and their furry friends with the disposable waste bags now installed inside the gates.
“This is a fantastic step by council because it makes it easier for owners who should be more accountable, but unfortunately many are not,” she said.
“The facilities here are great and I don’t think it is fair for council to foot the bill for things that could also be negligent on the public’s behalf.
“The park is a service provided to the community and people need to do the right thing.”
***I am not aware of any "conversations" between park users and Councillors...in fact, I was recently told about a Councillor (you know who you are champ) attending the small dog park area with their children, whom promptly "ran amok", throwing sticks and actually hitting this person, whilst said Councillor just sat there scrolling through their phone...
At the very least, and by it's own admission, Council has not acted and/or cannot afford to maintain the dog parks properly...this article is transparently about skating past Councils' failures to appropriately maintain the 2 dog parks, and instead try to demonise/blame dog owners, on the way to selling-off the whole precinct...
And I know that some of what I'm saying here threatens to stroll into 'Conspiracy Theorist' territory, but when you've dealt with these corrupt clowns for as long and as intensely as I have, you immediately see the indicators/patterns/agendas.
Finally, what I thought was a scheduled MGCC/media meeting at HCR on Tuesday (2 days ago), was apparently between some local media, possibly/probably The Border Watch, and some local residents opposing the sale...I'll post when I know more about the specific details...
Tomorrow: More Of My ICAC Inquiry Testimony
I am Nick Fletcher and this is my blog...cheers and laters...
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