MITCHELL Shire Council is considering providing part of Hadfield Park for the proposed $3.5 million Wallan Super Clinic.
Time constraints on the project are placing pressure on council to agree to lease the vacant north-eastern part of Hadfield Park, beside the Windham and Queen Street intersection, to Mitchell Community Health Services.
At its meeting last Monday council voted to seek public input on the land lease, but offered no alternative location for the clinic.
Representatives from the Wallan Environment Group questioned the proposed location and the possibility of it taking away more of Wallan’s recreational parkland.
The group was not opposed to the idea of a Super Clinic in Wallan but was not in favour of one being built in Hudson Park.
Shire CEO David Keenan said it should be noted that the community consultation process does not presume that the land in Hadfield Park will eventually accommodate the Wallan Super Clinic.
The Member for McEwen, Rob Mitchell, told The Free Press on Thursday that it has always been the intention for the council to provide the land.
He said the subject had been discussed with the then mayor, Cr Bill Melbourne, and former CEO Bill Braithwaite.
“The question I get asked most in Wallan is about when the Super Clinic is going to happen,” he said.
“We’ve done enough waiting; it’s time to get moving.
“Other sites were looked at, but this is the most suitable at this stage.”
Council’s community and recreation general manager, Rob McVernon, said in December last year it became clear that funding guidelines for MCHS required a piece of land to be secured as quickly as possible.
He said after several options were looked at the only available piece of land that is large enough for the Super Clinic is in Hadfield Park.
Mr McVernon said that there was a risk of funding being withdrawn if land was not found “relatively quickly.”
Cr Melbourne said the community should be given a chance to say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.
“We are caught in a position of ‘no win’ … if we said we didn’t want the Super Clinic the community would squark and squeal,” Cr Trevor Tobias commented.
Cr Sue Marstaeller said the community feels a Super Clinic is needed in Wallan, but there is a widespread feeling $3.5 million may not be enough.
She said there is “unfortunately no parcel of land jumping out of the sky,” pointing out that supplying the Hadfield Park land goes against other council plans.
“I’m passionately in favour of a Super Clinic in Wallan, but I’m not in favour of this site,” Cr Robert Parker said.
He questioned why a sizeable site in the Taylor’s Lane area south of Wallan could not be used, similar to the farmer’s paddock which was utilised at Craigieburn.
Cr Ross Lee claimed what is occurring is a quick political easy fix for the Federal Government so the facility is there before the next election.
He said it is clearly in breach of other council plans for Hadfield Park, and council had already “eroded into the park through the new police station and fire station going there”.
Cr Melbourne said he believes that if the residents of Wallan don’t want a Super Clinic in Hadfield Park they will speak out.