MELVILLE city council has axed plans to cut up part of Quarantine Park in Bicton for a car park.

Last week the Herald revealed locals wer e livid that council staff had recommended the park, which backs onto the Swan River, be sliced up for an extra 15 car pays on Phipps Street.

At Melville’s June 18 meeting veteran councillor and former mayor June Barton won support for the bays’ deletion from the plan, carried six to five.

The vote is the third in as many months to defy a staff recommendation—something almost unheard of at normally compliant Melville.

Plans for two paths across the green space were also kyboshed.

Bryan Matthews was delighted with the result: “Absolutely, I went home and poured a large cognac,” he laughs. He says the council should use the $75,000 it put aside for the bays to spruce up run-down toilets.

Local ward councillor Susanne Taylor-Rees says there are enough parking bays around the park: “People can park near the park and walk the 20 metres,” she says. “And why on earth would you consider chopping up a public open space to tarmac it? No-one else in the world would even consider doing that.”

• Correction: Last week we reported the council had decided to tarmac the park. It was only a recommendation at that stage. 

by BRENDAN FOSTER