Petition to save Memorial Ave reserve sent to council
A petition with 271 signatures has been sent to Central Coast Council, urging it not to sell the reserve in Memorial Ave, Blackwall.
The petition stated: "It is only a small area. However, there are over 40 mature trees including blackbutts, melaleucas and swamp mahogany.
"These trees are remnant vegetation of the Endangered Ecological Community existing across the road on Blackwall Mountain, the Narrabeen Coastal Blackbutt Forest.
"On Council's website, this reserve is listed as a bushfire buffer category 1.
"It is marshland, subject to flooding, and the lowest point in Blackwall.
"Selling it for more high density housing will lead to drainage and flooding problems affecting surrounding homes.
"There is no direct access to the reserve except by a narrow, oneway, unnamed laneway.
"The reserve is home to wildlife including microbats, flying fox, channel billed cuckoos, currawongs, magpies, native pigeons, blue tongue lizards, marsupial mice and more.
"The loss of this habitat will mean homelessness and death for many of these animals as this is the last piece of remnant level forest in Blackwall's residential area.
"The neighbourhood surrounding the reserve has been degraded by lack of planning, overcrowding, and neglect by Council.
"The loss of our greenness, our breathing space, our views of amazingly beautiful trees, will be a clear loss of amenity to the area."How will we wake up in the mornings without the kookaburra to sing Reveille?"
SOURCE:
Media release, 28 May 2021
Joy Cooper, Green Point