Residents urge city council not to sell Swan Street public reserve

That's the message from Swan Street residents who are strongly against the sale of a vacant block near their homes to Warrnambool City councillors.

Residents against the sale say it's a beloved public space where children have played for more than 20 years.

The land is owned by the city council but is currently considered public open space and holds reserve status on its title, according to a council report from December.

Council resolved at its final meeting of 2018 to begin the formal disposal process, under the local government guidelines for selling land. 

The council says the land is surplus to is needs, and have also started the process to sell another public space on Auty Street.

Residents have passionately objected to the sale with four presenting their view at the council's monthly meeting on Monday night.

They pleaded with the council not to sell the block, and would also like to see infrastructure upgrades such as a playground or seating implemented.

Bev Shakespeare, who lives next to the reserve, said her children and grandchildren had loved playing in the reserve.

"I have no doubt you take your role very seriously and do your best to make sound decisions," she told the councillors.

"But as councillors your position is temporary. One day you will no longer hold the position but the decision that you will soon make about this block is permanent. If you vote to sell it then it is gone forever."

She said while the council had financial difficulties she felt they wouldn't last forever.

"But the sale of our reserve means it will be gone forever," she said.

Resident Greg Chenoweth, whose parents subdivided the land on Swan Street, said the space had always been left as a public reserve, until now.

Graeme Trigg said the reserve was an "ideal spot and it must stay that way".

Other residents said they had purchased their properties due to the close proximity to the reserve.

They questioned why it had been selected as land surplus to council's needs.

Councillors voted to hear the submissions and note them.

They will now consider the resident's views as part of the budget considerations. 

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