The city of Casey’s Mayor, Stefan Koomen, is all in for the community’s input on the proposed satellite car park at the end of Kramer Drive, as its initial plans were tabled during the June council meeting.
Koomen, alongside Deputy Mayor Melinda Ambros and Councillor Dave Perry, spoke to Sophie and a number of other residents from Kramer Drive during the special council meeting in mid-May.
According to Koomen, the time spent after the meeting was productive, and that “we heard them and listened”.
“We had a long chat with her and a number of other residents, all of whom raised concerns about that item.
“We’re aware of the parking challenges at Wilson Botanic Park, but then we received feedback from the community that they hadn’t been engaged, or felt that their concerns hadn’t been heard.
“We then thought it would be best to do that consultation before making any decisions about whether the project would go ahead,” he said.
It was stated on Casey’s June agenda under the Capital Works Program 2025/2026 that the project had been removed due to public submissions.
It was further added that it was to allow for community consultation on the project before it is considered for reintroduction for funding at a later date.
Berwick as a whole is undergoing a period of change, with Casey encouraging residents to voice their thoughts on the Draft Berwick Village Plan, the closest hub in proximity to Wilson Botanic Park.
A clear-cut example of letting your voice be heard, Koomen said that the residents who attended and put forward their concerns “went about it the right way”.
“We have the public exhibition of our budget documents, where they had the opportunity to put their submissions in, and they even came to speak to us during the meeting.
“I know their local councillor, Cr Perry, has been working with them and making sure that their voices are heard in council,” he said.
Wilson Botanic Park saw a significant rise in visitations in 2024, which was 910,501, up from 2022, which had 589,591 visitations.
Speaking on the park’s growth and popularity, Koomen said that “the growth has been extraordinary”.
“The park is one of the best-attended facilities and spaces across the whole of Casey, and that does create challenges around access and parking.
“So we’re looking at ways to improve that, [Kramer Drive parking] was one proposal, but it’s important the community is consulted and aware of all the details if a project like that is going to be put forward for council to consider,” he said.
