A prominent member of the Cultural, Community and Education Precinct steering committee said those who oppose the joint Young High School and Carrington Park site are “obstructionist” and want to keep Young in the “dark ages”.
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Bill Yeomans said the best location for the precinct is Carrington Park and the opportunity to build it as a joint project between the high school and council is a “once in a lifetime opportunity”.
“I think people got upset when they saw the original plan because it looked like half the park was being taken, I know I was,” he said.
“But, I’m not to proud to admit that I made a mistake and I think council have admitted they made a mistake by revealing that first plan, the actual current proposal shows the park will lose very little space.”
Support is growing for the Hilltops Council’s preferred option of building the precinct on Young High School grounds and Carrington Park.
Young Australia Day Citizen of the Year and community stalwart Heather Ruhl said locals should look at what they will gain from the project rather than what they’ll lose.
“Libraries all over the country are fast becoming more than a space for learning through books. Libraries need to be interactive learning and social centres,” she said.
“The council must explore the idea of this joint project with the education department if only to make it possible for local councils to be able to keep up and fund the technology of the future.
“In my view, Carrington Park is the perfect and only place to put this joint project. The plans I have seen show that the footprint in the park only infringes on the old Currawong Street and does not take up any of the heritage park.
“I say ‘Good on Council’ for exploring all the possibilities of a joint project before making decisions about the library. For me this is the answer to bringing the community together, to share spaces across all ages.”
President of the Young Community and Residents Association Mark Wells said they are not opposed to development.
“But we are however opposed to development which encroaches on Carrington Park,” he said. “The council has, I believe, a terrible record when it comes to the history and heritage of the town so at this point our main focus is to ensure they do not build on Carrington Park.”
The public can keep up to date with the steering committee by reading the committee meeting reports on the Hilltops Council web-page.
Craig Thomson
I am a media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcasts. I am currently the Editor of Australian Community Media's Launceston Examiner.
I am a media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcasts. I am currently the Editor of Australian Community Media's Launceston Examiner.
