Yarraville’s Cruickshank Park was once only a dream in the head of Peter Anderson in 1969.
The Cruickshank Park community has planned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the park on Sunday, November 20 from 11am to 2pm.
Park co-founder Lola Anderson said Peter started work to make the area into a park in 1969, with the project committee formed in 1971.
“It was opened on July 26, 1981,” she said.
Mrs Anderson said her husband used to play around the area.
“He and his mates used to play in the quarry holes,” she said.
However, the holes were filled up by 1954.
In 1972, a landscape architect Mr Dieter Habicht was engaged by council to design and plan the park.
Named after former mayor and councillor George Cruickshank, Mrs Anderson said the community has always been an integral part of the park, with the Friends of Cruickshank Park group still going strong.
“This park is 95 per cent community planted,” she said.
“It is a park that is run by residents.”
Mrs Anderson said council maintenance workers also took “so much pride” in their work in keeping Cruickshank Park well-maintained.
“If it wasn’t for the parks and garden team, it wouldn’t look as lovely as it does,” she said.
Mrs Anderson said the celebrations would include a range of family-friendly activities, including an interactive native animal experience and a visit from Melbourne Water to explain what is in the creek.
“Hopefully, there is some tadpoles and frogs,” she said.
Other special activities will include a princess on rollerblades, live music, insect displays, a sausage sizzle from the Rotary Club of Yarraville, cakes and cupcakes and a display on the park’s history.
Matthew Sims
