21-04-2025
Dispute over proposed parkland near planned Perth children's hospice in Swanbourne
A proposal to transform a "dust bowl" into an oasis for terminally ill children has drawn the ire of some who want the site to remain in local government hands.
The planned park is to be located on an A-class reserve near Western Australia's new $34 million children's hospice in Swanbourne, which is due to open at the end of the year.
The project is being led by the Perth Children's Hospital Foundation and funded by community donors.
An artist's impression of the planned Perth children's hospice in Swanbourne.
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Supplied: Perth Children's Hospital Foundation
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Designs are yet to be finalised, but will include the planting of 10,000 plants, boosting tree canopy at the site to 62 per cent.
But not everyone is on board.
The Allen Park site in Swanbourne earmarked for the Perth children's hospice.
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Supplied: Perth Children's Hospital Foundation
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Council plans own park
In March, the City of Nedlands made a submission objecting to the proposed parkland, saying it wanted to develop and maintain the area itself.
Mayor Fiona Argyle said on Monday the council was best-placed to manage the development.
Fiona Argyle said council would this week vote on a proposal to build its own nature parkland.
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ABC News: Courtney Withers
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"Taking Class A reserve from the community into a private foundation does not work," she told ABC Radio Perth.
"This has a Whadjuk Noongar trail running through it, a 40,000-year Aboriginal trail, it is the only public access to the beach, and it is for all people."
Cr Argyle said council would this week vote on a proposal to build a nature parkland of its own at the site.
"We want to be friends, we have the support of all the community in the area, and the community don't want to lose this park," she said.
"
Whether you are dying, whether you are a sick child, whether you are a healthy child … this land is for all people.
"
A report estimates the council's project cost to be about $400,000.
The report suggests public donations could contribute to landscaping and ongoing maintenance costs.
Hospice park 'open to all'
Perth Children's Hospital Foundation chairman Ian Campbell said the council had "totally neglected" the reserve for decades and had missed its chance to develop it.
"We didn't really want the children, many of whom will be in the last days of their lives, looking out across that dust bowl," he said.
An architect's concept of the Perth children's hospice project.
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Supplied: Perth Children's Hospital Foundation
)
Mr Campbell said the foundation proposed to fund the construction of the park, and suggested to council it could pick up the responsibility of maintaining it.
"[The city] said 'we have no budget to maintain it'," he told ABC Radio Perth.
"This land has been in their hands for 20 years and it is a disgrace. It hasn't been looked after at all.
"The government has lost faith in the City of Nedlands, and we've lost faith in them."
He said the park would be open to the public at all times, not just hospice users.
City's objection 'strange': minister
Police Minister, and former environment minister, Reece Whitby said it was disappointing the dispute had yet to be resolved.
"This is a children's hospice, this is for kids in their final weeks and months of life, can we stop fighting about this issue?"
he said.
"That hospice is an important service for the most needy of children in their final hours and weeks and months.
Reece Whitby says he can't understand why council is still objecting to the plan.
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ABC News: Keane Bourke
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"They need to be surrounded by peace and tranquillity and they need to be supported."
Mr Whitby agreed that land parcel had been neglected, and said it was "strange" the City of Nedlands continued to object to the parkland.
"If the council is so concerned about it, why haven't they done something before now to beautify that area?" he said.
"This is a good positive thing to do, it's the least we can do for those children."
Digital billboard under fire
It's the latest in a series of debates about the project, with the city recently coming under fire over a digital billboard located on Stirling Highway which read "Class A Reserves are for future generations. Hands Off."
Photo shows
A portrait of blonde toddler with a pink clip in her hair, white top, smiling slightly.
Suzy Sadler says the proposed new hospice is needed because terminally ill children should not have to spend their last days in a clinical setting like a hospital.
The billboard included the City of Nedlands logo, but was said to have come at no cost to ratepayers.
Four councillors voted against the wording of the statement, with Cr Argyle using her casting vote to determine the outcome.
Cr Argyle on Monday said she was not — and had never been — opposed to the hospice itself, and was only concerned about the adjacent land development.
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