Dorothy Laver Reserve floods again
6 Nov 2018
Today Dorothy Laver Reserve flooded again, less than one week before Boroondara Council are due to hear submissions on the plans to redevelop it into a synthetic-surfaced soccer-only facility.
On the western side, the shared path from Dunlop Street to the pedestrian bridge at Saxby Rd was competely underwater. The roadway from the tennis club was flooded and the hit-up wall was more than a foot underwater. The Dorothy Laver Reserve West ground was spared only in the centre. There was a torrent raging on either side of the pavilion and on the creek side the water inundated the ground by 20 metres from the fence in parts.
On the eastern side, the scout hall and pavilion were completely circled by water and the playground also swamped. A quick tip: tan bark in a playground looks the same whether it is floating in water or just slightly damp. Most of Dorothy Laver Reserve East was under water.
Many of the residents came out in the rain to survey the impact of the flood. Some expressed great concern should the same happen again with a synthetic pitch in place which does not have the same ability to absorb water and rejuvenate after damage.
We would love to hear from Melbourne Water who provided the Council with advice that the 1 in 100 year flood area covers a very small portion of the site (see their picture). This is the second time in less than a decade that the grounds have been inundated by signficantly more than the indicated zone. The drone footage from John Parncutt shows quite clearly there is far more water over the ground than the Melbourne Water map shows. Maybe they should send someone down when it rains.
