James Price has gathered support for new BMX jumps in Narre Warren North.
By Lia Bichel
MORE than 400 people have signed a 10-year-old’s petition pleading with council to replace his bulldozed BMX dirt jumps in Narre Warren North.
James Price collected 423 signatures from friends after school hours and from residents by placing a petition at the local Marco IGA and Pane Di Fior Bakery Cafe.
The dirt piles, on the corner of Memorial Drive and Robinsons Road, were destroyed so the land could be subdivided and developed into a park.
Developer Lyall Seeback said he allowed James and his friends to play there but the jumps had to be demolished so works could commence.
“We let the kids ride there but we needed to go ahead with our work,” he said.
“But I do think that kids should be allowed to have a place to play, as long as it’s not detrimental to anyone else or their work.”
With the help of his 12-year-old brother Mitchell, James wrote a letter to Casey council asking them to replace the jumps.
“I’ve made a partition (sic) to keep our jumps in Narre Warren North but you’ve already bull-dozed them before I sent the partition so I’m asking for them back,” he wrote in the letter.
“We all had so much fun on them and now we are bored.”
Mitchell also wrote a letter to council and attached pictures of what he would like the development to resemble.
“I think it will keep the kids off the streets,” Mitchell wrote.
“When the jumps were there lots of kids would be there on the weekend about 20 kids and we were all friends.”
The boys’ mother Monique Price said she was proud of her sons’ determination and supported their efforts.
“The boys were devastated when the jumps were bulldozed.
“Since the jumps have been gone, they want to ride their bikes to the skate park in Narre Warren South, but that’s a long ride away,” she said.
“I think it would be great to place for them to ride their bikes in the area, especially because there is a new estate going up and there will be more kids in the area.”
Four Oaks Ward councillor Shar Balmes said she also supported the boys’ proposal.
“It’s very impressive that he took it upon himself to write us a gorgeous letter and to show us what they wanted,” she said.
“I really want to support him and show him that it doesn’t matter who you are, if you go about things the right way, people will listen to you.”
The council accepted the petition on 5 May and have agreed to consider the proposal for the 2010 Master Plan.
