By Jonty Ralphsmith
A group of locals in Berwick feel insecure in their own properties and say the condition of their back fences have been neglected.
About 15 residents on Quarry Hills Drive – whose houses back onto Wilson Botanic Park – are pleading with the Casey City Council to pay for the repair or total replacement of the fence.
One resident SJ Sharlassian has initiated a petition seeking to raise awareness about the issue.
The petition has so far received 43 signatures.
Another resident Tony Pateras called the Casey City Council in September, asking them to visit the site and make a decision about the fence’s status.
He is still yet to hear back and, along with many of his neighbours, is growing frustrated with the poor maintenance.
“What we need is a thicker fence and a higher fence,” Tony said, a belief echoed by all residents contacted.
Tony’s family has just taken in an 11-week old Border Collie and are apprehensive about letting it roam the backyard, fearing he will either escape or be snatched.
To combat the issue, Tony has planted trees along his fence-line, but even that has not totally dismissed the feeling of uneasiness.
Zovinar Sharlassian, the mother of SJ who lives on the street, has bought wire mesh to keep her dog from escaping.
She said council had offered to contribute to the cost of the fence, but residents believed the proposed fencing would be inadequate.
She has since grown frustrated by the inaction.
“We love where we live – that’s not the issue,” she said.
“We just want to feel safer and free to relax when we’re at home.”
Security is a major issue as birds take parts of the brushwood fencing for their nests and it has naturally deteriorated across the years.
Another resident Gail Hume said there was room for people to do wrong things.
“There’s a lot of trees out the back as in hiding places and the fence is so low, it wouldn’t take much for someone to jump in.”
Residents no longer feel safe storing their property in the backyard, believing it may be nicked.
They say they feel like they have to be alert, constantly under the impression they are being watched.
However, noise, fire risk and privacy were among the other issues raised.
Tony said it was the increased usage of the park that prompted him to contact the council.
“If the council wants to keep it as brushwood fencing, they really need to come to the table and make a decision one way or another otherwise each one of us can go and put whatever fence we want and it would look absolutely shocking because the fences would not be uniform,” he said.
The fence was established more than 30 years ago and residents said it had received inadequate maintenance and inspection since, a claim the council have refuted.
“The fence in question, along the perimeter of Wilson Botanic Park Berwick, has been routinely maintained and repaired since it was erected about 30 years ago,” manager of city presentation David Richardson said.
“Council staff have been in regular contact with a resident about the fence.
“While there are some sections of the fence that need repairing, affecting up to five adjoining properties, the majority of the fence is still in good condition.
“On inspection, officers found no correlation between the deterioration of some parts of the fence and the alleged impacts on safety and noise, and calls for a higher fence, that have been raised by the resident.
The sections of the fence that the council deem as being in need of replacement would be fully council-funded, at a cost of about $60,000 – included in council’s capital works budget.
“Once approved, the works would be done in consultation with affected residents.”
