Greater Dandenong councillors have voted down a proposal to preserve 22 trees earmarked to make way for the Dandenong Wellbeing Centre.
This month, the council confirmed it had already removed 21 of 43 doomed trees on the Mills Reserve and Dandenong Oasis car park site on Cleeland Street, Dandenong.
Greens councillor Isabella Do, at a 22 September meeting, called for options to retain the remaining 22 trees as a “practical and precautionary response to escalating climate risks”.
Most of the mature trees were assessed as low retention value but this didn’t account for their biodiversity or ecological function, she said.
Some of the trees in concrete collars in the Oasis car park were reportedly starved of air flow and moisture transfer around their roots.
Cr Do suggested removing concrete collars and waiting to see if the trees thrived.
“Cutting down canopy trees should be a last resort, as their loss cannot be quickly or easily replaced,” her motion stated.
“Canopy trees provide immediate cooling, shade and air quality benefits that cannot be replicated by new plantings for at least five to 10 years.”
A public online petition has also been logged with the council to “delay the destruction” of the trees.
Council officer David Fice told the meeting that redesigning the DWC to save the trees would lead to construction delay costs of “tens of thousands of dollars a day”.
It could put the project at risk of extending beyond mid-2027, and in breach a $20 million federal grant deadline, Fice said.
As part of the $122 million DWC project, 143 new trees will be planted and 166 existing trees retained, according to the council.
There will be 25,000 shrubs and ground cover plants added around Mills Reserve.
He said the new trees would flourish in better soil conditions with more natural landscaping and space around them.
In opposition to the motion, Cr Sean O’Reilly urged for “long-term” thinking.
“This notion that no tree can be touched in Greater Dandenong is impracticable … (and) will lead to no progress.
“We should see the wood from the trees and make a balanced decision.”
Cr Phillip Danh said revisiting the tree assessments would be “inefficient and a poor use of ratepayers resources”.
The DWC replaces the decades-old Dandenong Oasis aquatic centre and will focus on allied health, education, fitness and wellness.
The two-storey centre includes two separate pool halls, dry health and fitness facilities and an integrated sports pavilion.
