THE name of the new community park located at the former Romsey Primary School site is “Romsey Ecotherapy Park”.
The name was chosen from 25 names submitted by community members and groups, including the Greater Romsey All Abilities Park (GRAAP) committee.
GRAAP submitted two names – Romsey Ecotherapy Park and Romsey Sensory Discovery Park – and no objections from the community were received in response to the alternate names.
East Ward councillor, Cr Bill West moved a motion at the March council meeting that council endorses the name Romsey Ecotherapy Park for the new community facility.
“This is a wonderful facility for Romsey and I congratulate the GRAAP committee on the excellent work it has done to bring this community park to a reality,” Cr West said.
Works have begun on the project to transform the historic 150-year-old school building into a community health centre, surrounded by the park.
Over the years residents have expressed a desire for the old school site to remain as a place where the community could continue to gather and where links between community members could be strengthened and this project responds to that wish.
The project is valued at $3.2 million for the former school building and the community park.
The Romsey project has been the focus of significant work among a broad range of partners including Cobaw Community Health, the Greater Romsey All Abilities Park group and council.
The former school building is currently being renovated and extended for its new role a community health centre. The design prominently features the historic school building, with a rear extension abutting the planned parkland. It is expected the building work will be completed in mid-2018.
The council appointed landscape architects ran several consultation activities in Romsey to gather community ideas for the park and the architect incorporated many of these ideas into the park concept plan. The landscape plan includes an active play zone, a picnic space, an events space, a water play area and a sensory therapeutic space.
The community park is the fourth community park delivered by council in partnership with the community. All previous parks—Gisborne Adventure Playground, Woodend Children’s Park and Kyneton Community Park have been named by the committee or community group involved.
The Romsey park is different in that it has triggered a formal naming process due to the introduction of formal naming rules.
Council is the naming authority under the Naming Rules for Places in Victoria. The naming rules are provided for under the Geographic Place Names Act 1998 and compliance with the naming rules is mandatory for all local governments in accordance with the Act.
