John and Robin Davies looked for a long time to find a place to live with a green buffer between them and the urban environment, but now that looks set to be lost for a temporary car park.
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The pair, which lives in a townhouse at Watling Court in Weston, hoped to warn Canberrans of the impact losing small urban islands of open space would have on the city.
The incremental loss of open space in urban areas as the city's density increases is a key issue for community councils in the lead up to October's territory election.
In Weston, the site beside the Watling Court townhouses was previously rezoned for community facility use, a move then supported by the Weston Creek Community Council.
But now, after plans have been released for a $420,000 flood-lit car park with space for 108 vehicles, the small neighbouring community has been left frustrated.
Mr Davies said the temporary car park would not be required if the residents of the new Molonglo suburbs had been adequately provided for with a shopping centre.
"It'll be flood-lit, it'll be nine metres away from where we eat and sleep. The noise from the car park at the moment across the road ... we can hear people speaking in the car park ... and if they put it under our window, it's going to be impossible," Mr Davies said.
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A statement from the Watling Place residents opposed to the car park said it was like applying a Band-Aid to a severed artery.
"The only effective solution to over-crowding at Cooleman Court is the development of retail facilities in the Molonglo suburbs," the statement said.
A spokeswoman for city services minister Chris Steel said a survey conducted in September 2018 found there was "high use" of the car parks at Cooleman Court and more space was required.
"We're listening to the concerns of adjacent residents and we're looking at how we can improve the plans to minimise the impact of the car park," the spokeswoman said.
She said the government expected the site to be released for future community facilities after the car park was no longer needed.
"The car park will be removed once the site is released for community facilities use, or when the increased car capacity is no longer required, and at that time it will be reinstated to its former condition," she said.
Weston Creek Community Council president Tom Anderson said there was need to balance the needs of a growing population inadequately served with shops and facilities, and those who lived close to the proposed car park.
"The bottom line, if you really want the bottom line, the government and bureaucracy have failed with their planning for Coombs and Wright. Here we are with people living there ... [and] for all these people there is no shop, there is no community facility. There is nothing for them," Mr Anderson said.
The pressures on public open spaces have also been felt in other parts of the ACT.
The president of the Woden Valley Community Council, Fiona Carrick, said significant areas of green space had been lost in the area. She said investing in public green space would make areas attractive for people to live in.
Ms Carrick said she was not opposed to development but it needed to include plans for adequate park areas as Woden's population grows.
"Our question is, 'Where are the green spaces and where will the children play in that concrete area?'" Ms Carrick said.
She said the major ACT political parties should commit to stronger plans for public open spaces before the election.
"Neither sides of the government seem to me to be able to visualise the future and provide an exciting vision for the future," Ms Carrick said.
Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
