By Cam Lucadou-Wells
John Foy’s home remains his castle after Casey Council sensationally dropped plans to compulsorily acquire his Narre Warren North property.
Supporters cheered from the council’s public gallery on 7 February as mayor Sam Aziz announced the council would “forever” abandon plans to convert the 78-year-old widower’s house, gardens and habitat wetland into soccer fields.
In a nod to the stress caused to Mr Foy, Casey Council will pay for a replacement hot water system at his 34-acre home at 191-195 Belgrave-Hallam Road.
A stunned Mr Foy had been reluctant to replace the recently-broken system, given his possible expulsion in the near future.
He credited the outcome to a 9000-plus signature online petition and viral social media in recent days fuelled by a TV news report on 5 February.
“I think all the electronic devices got to them,” said Mr Foy – who doesn’t have a Facebook account himself.
“I’d just like to thank everybody,” he said as his supporters hugged and kissed him.
“It’s starting to get to me,” he added, grasping a DVD of the Australian classic film The Castle.
As Cr Aziz shook his hand, Mr Foy said it had been a “bit of a battle” since Casey first inquired about his land in 2002.
During that time, he’d knocked back a council offer of $1.45 million for his land, insisting on protection of his pet dog cemetery and “all the little critters” inhabiting the wildlife lake and gardens he created over the past 35 years.
“Hopefully the nightmare goes away tonight,” Cr Aziz told Mr Foy.
Peterine Smulders, a neighbour of Mr Foy, held a rolled-up protest banner and tearfully declared it was a “miracle”.
Another neighbour Marlene Kane – who fought the David-and-Goliath contest for several months – said: “I didn’t think it was going to happen.”
Mr Foy’s daughter Cindy said her father would be greatly relieved.
“It’s been a bit of a toll on the whole family.
“He will be giving a big sigh.”
Cr Aziz told the meeting that councillors had to “act with compassion” but insisted he did not bow to political pressure or the “insulting remarks” on Facebook.
Cr Aziz declared it would be a “cold day in hell under my mayoralty” before the council overrode the needs of Mr Foy and his “sentimental” attachment to his property.
“If you were my father or grandfather, I certainly wouldn’t want you to be in this position.
“I wanted to ensure that you were given free passage to go home and sleep peacefully, to know this is off the books and your property is not in our plans.”
Cr Aziz later said the turning point was that even local soccer club members were lobbying on Mr Foy’s behalf.
“Your friends and supporters asked for four more weeks for you to consider this decision.
“I’m giving you forever.”
He however noted the decision may not have been the right one to address Casey’s “infrastructure gap” and critical need for soccer facilities for its booming population.
Mr Foy’s land was also identified as the “last piece of the puzzle” for a trail link between Frog Hollow Reserve and Lysterfield Lake, Cr Aziz said.
The surprise unanimous move came after Cr Aziz resolutely backed council’s intentions in a Facebook post the day before.
In public question time early in the meeting, there had been little indication of the council’s capitulation.
Responding to 13 resident questions on the issue, a council officer steadfastly insisted Mr Foy’s land was the best site.
The council will write to Narre Warren North MP Luke Donnellan seeking State Government help in exploring alternative sites for the soccer complex.
Mr Foy suggested the tracts of unoccupied Crown and council-owned land abutting his property, some of which was used for horse agistment.
