MOUNT Martha Eco Park Active Recreation Hub is a step closer with the detailed design by shire officers approved by Mornington Peninsula Shire Council last week. The works will now go out to tender.
A $5000-$10,000 sound impact study to be completed after the hub is built will be brought back to the council so any noise mitigation measures can be added.
Community input and feedback last year led to the final concept plan being endorsed by the council in August 2020 after the project had been in the pipeline for a decade. (“Park talks continue after 10 years” The News 13/9/21).
Discussions on the “final concept” design from November 2019 to August 2020 included a drop-in session at Mount Martha Community House; school workshops; and 188 submissions – with 32 per cent of those participating against and 68 per cent supporting the project.
Consultation sessions were also held with residents and students and as well as six focus groups with unsupportive submitters in small groups meeting with shire officers and the three previous Briars Ward councillors.
In August 2020 the council endorsed the hub’s location and the final concept plan and instructed officers to start a design process and seek tenders for its construction.
The $700,000 hub will have a skate and scooter bowl with pockets, hips, waterfalls and transfers; combination play equipment; scooter path; carousel and mini trampolines; swing set; musical chimes and picnic tables and bench seating. Emphasis has been placed on retaining car parking, “significant” vegetation and the natural aesthetics of the park.
Cr Kerri McCafferty moved that the council approve the Eco Park Active Recreation Hub detailed design drawings to enable the project to proceed to tender. She noted that Universal Design Principles are already incorporated so that consideration can be given to further enhancing the design by including All Abilities play equipment.
This was carried unanimously.
First published in the Mornington News – 16 November 2021
