Local residents opposed to the sale of 7-9 McKeahnie Street Agnes and Christine Monro, Joan Howell and Maree and Leon Timbs. Photo: Kim Pham.
MAREE Timbs, a resident of nearby Young Street for 19 years, said she was "shocked" on learning of Queanbeyan City Council's intention to sell the 7-9 McKeahnie Street in The Queanbeyan Age last week.
"People were shocked and it was so unexpected, so soon," Ms Timbs said. "We had been planning to make a submission at a council meeting."
For more on the proposed McKeahnie Street sale, see: http://www.queanbeyanage.com.au/story/1350820/council-urged-to-reconsider-mckeahnie-st-sell-off/?cs=...
Ms Timbs said the proposed sale of the former childcare and community centre had been on residents' radar following the decision to reclassify the land in May 2012.
"I feel we didn't get an opportunity to let the council know what the community would've liked the land to be used for," she said.
"Through other people we were led to believe that the mayor was going to provide an opportunity to provide feedback, some sort of consultation.
"It looks bad on the council, my impression is that it is underhanded and downplaying the significance of the sale," she said.
"I used to come here with my two eldest children for playgroup and it was great to being able to walk somewhere. There's now no other facility close to us, you have to get into the car to go to kindergym or playgroups down on Isabella Street."
Another local resident, Joan Howell who has lived on Crawford St for 31 years said once the land was sold it would be difficult to reclaim an area for community space later down the track.
"It's short-sighted, when they get people asking them to do something in the future, the public pressing them at a meeting, it will be costly for them to buy another place," she said.
"It would cost a fortune whereas this already has building on it. It's in need of a tidy up but there are sandpits and all the other things a community needs, we just need someone to take care of it."
