By Jessica Anstice
Pakenham residents are frustrated that people continue to leave rubbish in a community park and that the council seem to be “neglecting” it.
Resident and Cardinia Shire Council election candidate, Cheryl Smith, is fed up with BJ Wallis Gardens tarnished by rubbish left from people visiting the memorial park.
Ms Smith claimed that when the Cardinia Shire Council offices relocated away from the area, the park’s gardening maintenance regime changed.
“They were not seeing it on a daily basis so out of sight out of mind,” she said.
“All our gardens are suffering from neglect or under maintenance – the only place that is not suffering is Lakeside, and Lakeside residents have paid a premium on their rates to ensure they have a beautiful space.
“However people in Pakenham and in our towns also pay their rates, and when you see the neglect you realise that council are not doing as good a job as we would like them too.”
Ms Smith described the park as “weed infested”, with railings in need of repair work and painting.
Bottles, cans, buckets, takeaway packaging and chips packets are among the items left scattered across the gardens and in the pond.
“The local community is impacted because this is a delightful open space that is neglected and run down,” she added.
“Also pride is impacted, this is a beautiful space, for goodness sake, it is a memorial garden.”
She said the neglect “saddens” her and “tarnishes the concept of what a memorial garden should be”.
“It certainly tarnishes the whole concept and tarnishes the name of BJ Wallis,” she said.
“He would be very disappointed that his name is associated with a neglected space.
“Environmentally there are some wood ducks and their gorgeous ducklings there at the moment swimming around some litter.”
As for a solution, Ms Smith said she would like to see the council refurbish the park, as well as clean up the railings and bring the weeds under control.
Alternatively, she suggested the council introduce a ‘friends’ program, where volunteers clean up the park once a month with the council’s support, similar to the program run at Lilypond in Duncan Drive.
“Lilypond is another fabulous open space that is riddled with weeds, including blackberries, fallen trees and litter,” she explained.
“We could have a friends group that like BJ Wallis Gardens were able to have working bees once a month to get the place back on track.
“Council would need to cover some costs, but surely that would benefit the community, and the environment and bring pride back to our community. Pakenham is more than just Lakeside.”
Another Pakenham resident, who wishes to have their name withheld, said she walked through BJ Wallis Gardens last week and found the grass needed to be cut “badly”.
“The lettering on the Lilypond house needs replacing, been like that for years and the gardens around it are out of control,” she said.
“The little board walk into the lake looks like it has just had the boards replaced but the orange barrier has not been removed and is now ripped and wrapped around the posts – it looks very untidy.
“The pond is full of rubbish and looks like a forest – it needs a good clean out.”
The concerned citizen said she believes it wouldn’t take much to have the area fixed up.
A Cardinia Shire Council spokesperson said the site is due to be attended this week.
“The reserve was last visited mid-September but was too wet to mow,” the spokesperson said.
“Detailing around the paths and garden beds was carried out.
“Council has received no reports of litter at the reserve.”
Residents are encouraged to report litter online at www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/report or by calling the council’s customer service team on 1300 787 624.
