For a few weeks each year, parts of Hyde Park take a distinctly purple hue when the Jacaranda trees come into full flower. That time is now, but we must not allow this beauty to distract us from the urgent task of stopping the lakes from drying out in future summers. If you look closely at the photograph on the left you will see that the eastern lake is already nearly dry - and we haven't even got officially into summer yet.The London Plane trees that surround the lakes came under severe stress towards the end of last summer - and this one looks like being worse.
But there is good news! The Federal ALP promised, during the recent election campaign, to provide $2million to address the problems of the Hyde Park Lakes. We know there are no simple or cheap solutions, but this money will help us to do the job properly and in a way that is sustainable in all senses of the word. Whether it will be sufficient remains to be seen, but in any case I believe that Hyde Park is of such importance, beyond just the Town of Vincent, we should be involving the broader community directly in the process of ensuring its future.
The Vincent Hyde Park Lakes Working Group, of which I am a member, meets next on Wednesday 12 December and I will endeavour to achieve clarity, urgency and momentum to determine and implement a solution.
Working Group needs to go public, not closed doors. Everyone has an interest in Hyde Park.
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