Stoush in the south

By Paul Dunlop
PROUD Pakenham South residents are fighting to keep their community’s name away from new development.
They believe it could strip the identity from the place they call home.
Plans to name Pakenham’s new school Pakenham South Primary School and a similar name for a new early learning centre have been met with alarm by residents living in the “real” Pakenham South.
Residents have called on local and state authorities to stop new residential areas south of the railway line being called Pakenham South.
Pakenham South Progress Association chairman Noel Coots said the new developments were several kilometres from the actual Pakenham South, a close knit community first settled in the 1880s.
“People living around here are concerned their identity is being stripped away,” Mr Coots said.
“Pakenham South has long defined the area surrounding the intersection of McDonalds Drain Road and Hall Road, and we feel that to have two clearly different areas with the same name could lead to problems.”
Mr Coots said Pakenham South had its own school until 1951. The schoolhouse is now the community hall.
He said residents were expecting to celebrate the centenary of the building in six years’ time.
“Pakenham South has always been home to a close knit community of people ever ready to help each other, individually, and as a group,” he said.
Residents fear the identity confusion could also create chaos for emergency services.
Mr Coots said the new statefunded school announced recently for land in Heritage Springs, while strongly supported by residents, was “some six kilometres as the crow flies”, from Pakenham South.
Residents are also concerned about the new Pakenham South learning centre in Bluehills Boulevard, which is a similar distance away.
“At the moment it’s an inconvenience more than anything but if allowed to escalate it could cause much confusion in future years,” Mr Coots said.
The progress association has written to mayor Bill Ronald and councillors seeking support for its stand.
Western Port Ward councillor Doug Hamilton told the Gazette he had met with residents and pledged to back their stance.
“Obviously, you can’t just come in and claim the name Pakenham South just because you think it’s a good idea,” Cr Hamilton said.
“There already is a Pakenham South, it’s been existing for over 100 years. There is a community there that is very active and cohesive.
“Just because it is south of Pakenham doesn’t mean it’s Pakenham South.”