Blue Mountains City Council backtracked on plans to rezone Rest Park in Springwood for possible development. It will now stay as a green space, but the toilet will be knocked down.
Ward 3 Councillor Shae Foenander moved a rescission motion at the March 27 council meeting, reversing moves to rezone Rest Park in Macquarie Road. It was accepted unanimously.
The proposed reclassification from community land to operational land would have meant it could be developed for mixed use, including shop-top housing, retail and offices.
“I don’t support Rest Park being rezoned for another block of flats,” Cr Foenander told the meeting.
"Progress does not necessarily mean we concrete over everything and develop it with high rise. Progress is also about being a visionary for the future and finding ways to revitalise the old and preserving its value.
“I am so pleased Rest Park has been given back to the community to enjoy. My next push will be for Rest Park to receive the long overdue tender loving care it deserves."
Cr Foenander earlier told the Gazette that the park had become a site of some anti-social activity, but formed a vital green corridor between the town centre and bushland off Springwood Avenue.
“We will need to spend resources to ensure the park is clean and useable but we must save it. This will be part of a package of reforms where we will reject pressures to increase density, building heights and the population of Springwood.”
Ward 3 Labor Cr Mick Fell told the council meeting the toilet would need to be knocked down.
“We don’t need to pave paradise to put up a parking lot, but we do need to get rid of that toilet block and we will get rid of it.
“It’s been that toilet block that’s been the centre of people’s dissatisfaction – with that going, a lot of that will go away.”
Cr Foenander said while it was probably too shady to become a community garden, it could be a park devoted to the history of Springwood.
