‘Profound neglect’ of Collingwood Park

Smiljana Zdrunkovic says her suburb is being neglected by council.

A COLLINGWOOD Park resident believes her suburb is being neglected by Ipswich City Council, but the local councillor disagrees.

Smiljana Zdrunkovic said while Springfield was reaping the benefits from rate payers’ money, Collingwood Park had fallen into a ‘despondent’ state in the past two years.

She said the footpaths of the subsidence affected suburb were never mowed and her local park, Banjo Patterson Park, was “horrible” with the off-leash dog park not having a water supply for pets or covered sun protection for owners.

Ms Zdrunkovic added that despite sending a petition to council about getting water and better facilities for the dog park, she had not received a reply more than seven weeks later.

“They do absolutely nothing for this area compared to other suburbs,” she said.

“We know that the buck stops with the council for maintaining the suburb and its surroundings.

“It’s not too much to ask, it’s their job.”

But local councillor Victor Attwood said by the time this paper was published, the improvements to the Banjo Patterson dog park would be made.

He said after the off-leash park was re-located late last year, council crews did not have the chance to immediately complete the refurbishments (such as water bowls) because they were dispatched to mowing and maintenance jobs during the summer months.

But he said they were able to start working on the refurbishments again last week.

“It is not that Collingwood Park is treated any differently,” he said.

He also said that council did in fact mow the footpaths in the suburb on a nine-week cycle, but it was not their responsibility to mow and maintain blocks of land made vacant by houses removed due to the subsidence.

The issue of certain Ipswich suburbs being neglected is not a new one, with The Satellite publishing stories in the past where Camira residents have complained their suburb was neglected.

• Do you live in Collingwood Park? Do you think the suburb is being neglected or everything is fine? Let us know by emailing gemma.blair@qtcn.com.au.