Page 1137 - Week 04 - Friday, 23 April 2021

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video

(b) that residents would like to see improved amenities at the pond with particular consideration to:

(i) number of toilets and their amenity;

(ii) improved signage;

(iii) landscaping and replanting of bushes and grass;

(iv) number of tables, bins and barbeques to cater to local demand;

(v) recreational facilities for young people; and

(vi) path improvements for pedestrians and cyclists;

(2) further notes the $300 000 in funding provided by the ACT Government for Yerrabi Pond foreshore improvements in the 2020-21 Budget; and

(3) calls on the ACT Government to:

(a) consult with the Gungahlin community to inform improvements and future upgrades;

(b) consider further upgrades to Yerrabi Pond in future ACT Budgets; and

Today I rise to call for improvements to Yerrabi Pond. I am sure that every member in this place agrees that one of the best things about living in Canberra is the many open green spaces that fill our city. It is always great to head to your local park on the weekend, to get out of the house, to get some fresh air and enjoy some wonderful weather. But sometimes you require a bit more than a local park. Sometimes you need a bigger and better serviced space, like a district park, like Yerrabi Pond.

Yerrabi Pond is the central park for most Gungahlin residents. When Yerrabi Pond opened in 1999, Gungahlin was home to around 12,000 Canberrans. Now Treasury predicts that the population of Gungahlin will grow to over 83,000 people by 2022. Yerrabi Pond should have grown alongside our district and town centre but, alas, it has not. Instead, I think conditions are not up to scratch and that there are limited facilities for the growing population. Put simply, Yerrabi Pond needs some love.

Now, I want to take members of this place who are not regulars at Yerrabi Pond—I am really talking to those members from Brindabella, because I am not sure how often they make it up to Gungahlin—on a tour of Yerrabi Pond. If you walk along the edge of the Yerrabi Pond right now, you are bound to come across abandoned shopping trolleys and rubbish. You will find broken bottles, plastic bags and food wrappers littering the landscape because, put simply, there are not many bins at Yerrabi Pond. This waste often makes its way into the pond, polluting the water and impacting local wildlife. It is disheartening.

As you make your way around the pond, you will notice uneven footpaths and a complete lack of lighting. It is unsafe, particularly for children and the elderly. You will notice weeds coming up through the pavement along the waterfront promenade and weeds all through the Mirrabei Drive dam wall. As you get into the rhythm of your walk, you will notice that on the singular track around the pond it can get very busy, with people overtaking constantly and limited space available on the path.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video