From today's (Tuesday) Leader: See - http://caulfield-glen-eira-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/please-fence-us-in/
Please, fence us in: Carnegie protestors
09 Jun 09 @ 07:00am by Jenny Ling
Protesters, children and dogs gathered at Lord Reserve to try to stop Glen Eira Council pulling down the fence. PIC: DAVID SMITH
PARENTS and dog owners angry at a council decision to tear down a Carnegie park fence have been criticised for hurling “derogatory” remarks at workmen and vandalising their property.
Dozens of residents picketed Lord Reserve for several days from May 25 after Glen Eira Council contractors began removing a 1.2m fence to make way for a small concrete plinth.
Police escorted them off the site on May 28.
Group spokeswoman Sandy Evans said residents would “continue to lobby the councillors until someone talks to us”.
“They are simply not interested in what the electorate wants or needs and don’t feel it’s necessary to tell us what’s being done with our money,” Ms Evans said.
Residents are concerned children and dogs will run on to the road once the fence is removed.
Most of the fence had been taken down from the Lyons St side, Ms Evans said.
Council spokesman Paul Burke said the work, expected to take two weeks, had been delayed by a week after the contractor was told to leave the site during the protests.
Group members had cut through a temporary wire safety fence to get inside the work area and made “derogatory” comments, he said.
“The contractor said he’s prepared to wear it on the chin,” Mr Burke said. “But nobody likes their equipment vandalised and the fact people bad-mouthed workmen going about their jobs was unnecessary.”
Dog owners fear the plinths will be installed at other parks.
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1 comment:
Ah I think Mr Burke is being told a "porkie" or else he is being selective with the truth. The three days I saw activists on the grass, the tradesmen, or someone wearing a workman's flak jacket was actually sitting down at the table having a chat with them.
Dissenters did not break down the security fence but removed the bottom two catches of one of those orange flappy material holed barriers used on footpaths to alert residents of danger.
Within my hearing I heard one organisers saying that no one was to create a nuisance and give Council cause to name them as troublemakers....I am inclined to think that philosophy did not change throughout their short proaction to prevent the fence from being demolished while waiting for their elected Councillors to become involved.
I cannot repeat too often that the dog activists do not commit any act of vandalism or behavior unbecoming a mostly middle aged law abiding citizens.
The Council over reacted by bringing in the police, taking them away from apprehending real criminals to walk passive dissenter off the reserve.
They had no way of being heard by the Councillors but to make a stance of some kind! because of the total lack of community consultation by the Administration.
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