Meeting 26th Nov 2016 with Steph Key

I attended a great community meeting yesterday at Forest Ave Reserve on Forest Ave. The meeting was called by Steph Key, Member for Ashford, in the parliament. The discussion was centred around the poor maintenance of the reserve and the role of Council and the Black Forest School in maintaining the grounds. A Land Management Agreement exists that has been agreed between Council and DECD but has not been reviewed for some time. It is my understanding that the grounds are entirely owned by the school and that council waters and mows the lawns. In exchange the community have access too the open space when children are not using it.
A walk around the edges shows that maintenance of the vegetation has been poor for a number of years. Shrubs are dead and have not been removed and/or replace. Other areas are overgrown; The community asked that;

• The Land Management Agreement is reviewed and updated and that all parties are aware of their personal responsibility in the maintenance
• That Step work with the school regarding the current poor state of the award winning veggie gardens
• Student safety is investigated at the corner of Obam Ave and Forest Ave
• Student pickups are better policed for offending parents
  

  

  This lovely area is now overgrown