The community needs Brisbane Ave reserve

I am a resident of Umina and I oppose the rezoning and reclassification of the public land at 83 to 85 Brisbane Ave.

When our family relocated to the area in 2005 we were specifically told by the Council that this reserve is a public green space and would not be built on.

This lot is used by the neighbourhood for recreational activities.

My children and the neighbours' children are continually playing on this reserve: hide and seek, footy, cricket, catching bugs.

Many of the locals walk and exercise their dogs on this reserve as well.

The previous owner of our house told us that his children used to play in the reserve too.

With the impending health epidemics that children face today, we are deeply concerned that removing this public space would have a negative impact on future generations in the area.

We desperately need to have these green spaces to encourage our children to engage in healthy activities close to home.

It is an important link to creating emotionally and physically healthy adults in the future.

It's not only the local people that benefit from this reserve, there are a huge range of native wildlife as well.

Possums, Blue Tongues and other lizards, native birds such as the awny Frog Mouth, Rainbow Lorikeets, Brush Turkey, Channel Bill Cuckoo, Kookaburra ,King Parrot, Cockatoo and Magpies, numerous undergrowth species, all call this reserve home.

It is an important part of their survival in this area and it would have devastating effects on their population if it were removed.

In this reserve they are safe and flourish in large numbers and it would be ecologically disastrous to destroy their natural habitat.

This lot is also a fragment of an Endangered Ecological Community, a remnant of the Umina Sandplain Woodland, and bush regeneration has been done in the past with the approval from council with positive results.

Council support in the past to restore and manage the flora and fauna would suggest the significance of maintaining this green space, not only on a local scale but as a piece of a larger environmental picture.

We all know of the widespread problems occurring with the increase in greenhouse gases and the depleting ozone layer, and removal of the trees from this area would only be adding to the problem.

Our family and neighbours, and especially the children will be very upset if it is sold and built on.

Having green spaces like this in our neighbourhood are extremely beneficial for the community and are a significant part of our health, growth and daily life in general.

The Peninsula lacks green spaces in the suburban areas and small pockets like Brisbane Ave, Pozieres Ave and Jumbuck Close do make a difference.

The Peninsula has become a very busy place, the roads in and out are continually jammed, the main street is dangerously busy, and parking is getting harder to find.

It is most profitable to build units on these reserves but the extra pressure on infrastructure will not benefit the local community who are already struggling with the increase in traffic etc.

It is clear that this reserve is very important to the local community.

According to council notice the site is no longer required for its initial use but the initial use according to the council documentation is community land for recreational purposes.

The reserve is still being used for recreation.

Other reasons for reclassification were that the reserves were residual portions from previous works but is that true for Brisbane Ave reserve?

We, the community, use the Brisbane Ave reserve.

It could be regenerated, become a playground, at very little cost to the Council.

The reserve is being used and appreciated all the time.

The main park in Umina beach is too far for young kids to safely venture, with some very busy roads to cross and is very very busy at times.

The reserve might not fall under any of these rules and the community oppose the reclassification strongly.

The reserves that are being supported by the community should be left, as it is obvious the community care, need and use them.

This green space should continue to be a natural playground for future generations and not only for the people of the area but for the overall ecological balance of native wildlife and plants that have been cared for and supported in these areas for many years.

I believe there is a duty here that needs to be fulfilled for the environmental wellbeing of our local area.

Email, 7 Jun 2016

Amie Raz, Umina