Reserve to get full makeover

By Paul Dunlop
PAKENHAM’S skate park will be moved and half the ornamental lake filled in under new plans for the PB Ronald reserve.
The old shire depot building is also earmarked to be removed to make way for carparking once a new home can be found for the Windmill Theatre Company.
But hopes of competitive junior cricket or football matches returning to the town’s former sporting home appear dashed.
Civic leaders, instead, propose to put in practice facilities rather than a new playing field with investigations showing the space was too small.
The future of the PB Ronald Reserve has been an ongoing topic of speculation in the community.
A long-awaited draft master plan was released last week by Cardinia Shire Council. The master plan outlines several ideas for development and residents have been encouraged to have their say.
Under the plan, council is poised to maintain the reserve’s status as a community park rather than a venue for organised sport.
Proposed features include:
EXPANDED parking areas to accommodate bowls, tennis and the rejuvenated outdoor swimming pool.
PROVISION for expansion of the Living and Learning in Cardinia (LLINC) centre and associated car parking.
RELOCATION of the skate park next to the reconstructed water feature.
NEW playground project space south of the existing playground.
NEW pedestrian and bike paths, a circuit track and fitness station points.
CRICKET nets and football goal posts for informal play by youngsters.
Council officers said in a report to last Monday’s meeting that the draft master plan had been affected by a number of recent major events including the $800,000 decision to re-open the Pakenham outdoor pool.
The decision not to proceed with plans to relocate the library also shaped the draft.
Residents have six weeks to submit their views to council.
People who criticised the ornamental lake when it was installed some years ago are likely to welcome plans to fill in a section of the water feature.
Moving the skate park has also been a talking point in the community. Several residents and nearby business operators had lobbied for the facility to be relocated.
Pakenham’s Faye Casey said having the skate park in a more open location might help resolve concerns about it being a hotbed for anti-social behaviour but was not convinced it wouldn’t just move the problem elsewhere.
“I hope it will sort things out, I feel sorry for the skaters who genuinely want to skate but a few bad eggs make trouble there for everybody,” she said.
The reserve was named after the late Peter Ronald, father of current councillor Bill Ronald. It was the hope of competitive sport in Pakenham before new facilities for football, cricket and netball were built at the Toomuc Reserve.
Council believes the new masterplan is an improvement on previous drafts that would have further transformed the reserve from sporting hub to town park.