By Jessica Micallef
Sunbury residents are urging Hume council to rethink potential boundary changes.
The council’s review of its suburb boundaries includes two new suburbs north and south of Sunbury.
Resident Stephen Coughlan said it was “too early” for council to be considering boundary changes for Sunbury.
“To be perfectly honest, eventually Sunbury will be sectioned off into its own council, its own city,” he told Star Weekly. “And I think that would be a perfect time to go through this process.”
He said he had no problem with the council looking at Craigieburn “because they’re already a long way into development”.
Mr Coughlan said he was concerned how boundary changes would affect capital works expenditure in Sunbury.
“My concern is that if we sectioned those suburbs off now, we will have people starting to move in, but there won’t be enough for the council or state government to say ‘we’re going to build a new school or we’re going to build new footy ovals’. So those people will be using the facilities that exist currently in Sunbury,” he said.
“We’re already at breaking point with football ovals and soccer pitches.”
Sunbury resident Trevor Dance said Hume council should look at Sunbury “as a whole”.
“Why don’t we leave Sunbury as it is? It’s been here for 150-plus years,” he said.
“Why should we segregate all the people from an area that they identify with?
“Why not have a community where we’re all engaged in one community, rather than segregating and having two different
names?”
Community consultation is underway for residents to have their say on the proposed changes and to suggest names for the potential new suburbs.
To have your say, visit: bit.ly/2G0xyd6
