The City of Nedlands has plans to landscape an area next to the children’s hospice site, amid recent tensions over Class-A reserves in the western suburbs council.
The City of Nedlands has plans to landscape an area next to the children’s hospice site, amid recent tensions over Class-A reserves in the western suburbs council.
At an agenda forum on Tuesday, Nedlands councillors discussed the proposal to draft a landscaping plan over a portion of Crown land between the WA Bridge Club and the children’s hospice.
The city’s chief executive Keri Shannon has recommended for the council to support the draft landscaping plan for a parkland to be named Whadjuk Trail – Norn Bidi.
It comes after the city had been making headlines over the same piece of land in Allen Park, Swanbourne.
The project is a venture between the Child and Adolescent Health Service and the Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation, and is set to be the state's first purpose-built paediatric hospice.
Lands Minister John Carey informed the city of the Child and Adolescent Health Service’s request to excise the lot from its Crown land classification.
The 5,000 square metre-piece of land has been earmarked for a complementary parkland for the hospice, which is under construction.
Nedlands council has opposed the excision proposal, with mayor Fiona Argyle highlighting the Class-A reserve classification of the land.
Class-A refers to the highest level of protection available.
In the agenda, the city’s administration has recommended for council to vote in support of the landscaping plan at its upcoming meeting.
“As part of its submission objecting to the excision proposal, the city confirmed it was prepared to undertake landscaping and maintenance of the area which is already designated as parkland,” the agenda reads.
“The city noted it has approved the installation of the disability accessible Whadjuk Trail - Norn Bidi path which is the only disability accessible portion of the Whadjuk Trail - Norn Bidi path and which will ensure patients at the hospice will be able to make full use of the area that is officially part of the bush to beach trail.
“The Whadjuk Trail - Norn Bidi cannot be constructed until the hospice has ceased using the subject land as a laydown area for construction materials.”
Perth Children's Hospital Foundation chairman Ian Campbell has slammed the Nedlands council's move to oppose the excision of land, rebutting claims that the city had been helping to get the project done.
"They have done nothing but oppose this and slow it down," Mr Campbell told Business News.
According to the agenda, the city’s officers met with Mr Carey’s chief of staff, who asked for further clarification of the Whadjuk Trail – Norn Bidi plan, last week.
The council also discussed the possibility of working with PCHF to fund the Whadjuk trail.
