RESIDENTS living in an Evanston South housing development have called on Gawler Council and the estate’s developer to bring forward infrastructure they say was promised when they purchased the land.
Aspire, Evanston South, residents Sarah Byrnes and Neil Banks addressed elected members at their meeting a fortnight ago, calling for them to work with developer Lanser Communities to finish a fitness hub and oval area which was advertised to be part of the Tiver Road development.
The pair said the delayed fitness hub area had impacted their property prices and meant their respective families have nowhere to exercise and play.
Speaking to The Bunyip Mr Banks said he paid an extra $40,000 to secure a block of land across the road from the proposed reserve and was now paying more on his mortgage than his house is worth.
“We’re in an isolated zone which has no public access and no public transport,” he said.
“If we want to take the kids to a park or go to a shop we have no thoroughfare except for a 90km/h national highway to walk on.
“We are isolated with nothing.”
Ms Byrnes voiced concerns over the safety of the development’s parks, which she said were unsafe for her young child.
In particular, she was worried open water bodies near the playgrounds presented a risk of kids falling in while playing.
“We’re not investors, we’re families.
“We built this block in 2015, and the hope was to raise a family with the fitness hub, running track, soccer pitches and open space.
“I am sick of putting her (Ms Byrnes daughter) in the car and driving to other parks when I paid a premium to be less than a minute walking distance.”
At a special Gawler council meeting held last night – after The Bunyip’s print deadline – elected members discussed a motion from councillor Nathan Shanks which addressed the Aspire residents’ concerns.
The motion called for council to investigate “age appropriate” play equipment and to address the safety concerns regarding nearby water bodies.
Gawler Mayor Karen Redman said the open spaces, such as playgrounds, meets “appropriate Australian standards”.
She added council “would have hoped” the oval and fitness hub would be completed already, but expects them to be done before the estate’s development is finalised.
“Council understands Lanser Communities are currently working on the open space design plans which will ultimately be presented to council for review and approval.”
In response to the residents’ concerns, Aspire development manager Shaun Bowden indicated the developer currently has a development application submitted to the council to build a childcare centre near the site of the proposed fitness hub.
He said the final design and development application submission of the fitness hub would come after the childcare centre is approved.
“After finalising the childcare centre application, we will then quickly look to implement the fitness hub and get that built,” Mr Bowden said.
Regarding the playgrounds, Mr Bowden said they had been audited by internal, external and council safety officers and met Australian standards.