More than half the Conara community does not want a proposed $170,000 new park and instead wants the town's old park upgraded.
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The Northern Midlands Council proposed a new park at the corner of Panec Street and Conara Road but 47 residents signed a petition against it.
The petition was received by the council on January 14 but was deemed non-compliant as it did not specify the number of signatories or have a statement on each page of the subject matter/action requested.
The Department of State Growth removed amenities at the existing park at Panec Street and Midland Highway due to vandalism and want to decommission it because of illegal camping.
The petition said the community believed the new park, toilet bock, playground, barbecue and picnic shelter would be better situated and beneficial to the bus services and public at the old park site.
"The park itself is still highly utilised as an overnight stop area for campervans and caravans," it said.
"There is more room for large buses to pick up and drop off at the park."
The petition listed nine reasons why the community was against the proposed new park including it not serving a purpose, disturbing the community, no nearby shop or store and its burden on the community for having to keep watch for anti-social behaviour.
IN OTHER NEWS
Other reasons were the need to upgrade infrastructure, the cost of new plumbing when the plumbing at the old site could be reused, and congestion for heavy vehicles, vehicles and buses using the intersection.
Furthermore the council was asked by the department to conduct the community engagement, on behalf of state growth, about decommissioning the existing park.
The council voted to not undertake the community engagement on behalf of the department at its January 20 meeting.
Councillor Michael Polley said he was quite upset the state government was planning to decommission the rest area.
"We're putting in our own park with our own toilet block, but it's no advantage to any rate payer in our municipality," he said.
"It is no benefit there, they've [the state government] done this deliberately."
Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
