Since it's demise as a golf course James Merlino and Parks Victoria have been working with the community to plan how the land at the site of the Old Olinda Golf course should best be used. 

There have been numerous meetings, planning sessions and communication to the community. Being 30 hectares of land there's plenty of room to accommodate most of the communities desires. Plans have been put forward and amended after consultation. 

The football club would like another oval for training to relieve the pressure on the existing oval to ensure that it stays in a suitable condition for the season. This would also ensure that the oval is in better condition for the cricket season. 

The netball club would also like additional courts so they don't have to travel off the mountain. 

There are those in the community who would also like the area to be used as an off leash dog area. 

All these demands can easily be met on the land at the golf course site. There is however a small group of people who demand that no changes be made to the site and no accomodation be made for the footballers, netballers and cricketers or anyone else whos ideas may change the area as it exists now. Instead of advocating for how they can have their desires best accommodated they are spending their time trying to ensure no one else's are accomodated. 

They say that the land should be only available to passive recreation when in reality most of the hills are set aside for this with the Dandenong Ranges National Park. As well there are numerous other parks and gardens throughout the hills where people can walk, talk, relax and look at the views. Right next door to the old golf course is the National Rhododendron Gardens with paved paths beautiful gardens and views. The site is also bounded by the RJ Hamer Arboretum where dogs can be walked on lead. 

I am asking you to sign this petition to show your support for the existing community consultation process initiated by James Merlino and Parks Victoria and not have it derailed by small selfish group in the community.  If there is strong support for this petition it will show what the community really thinks and wants.