An anonymous poster on a Sunbury Facebook group asking what the town needs by way of shops and facilities generated hundreds of responses with suggestions including an aquarium to shelter for the homeless and for victims of domestic violence, to a wider range of shops.
Sue posted that Sunbury needs a “good emergency hospital…Not the hospital we have here that other people go to – but our doctors don’t refer us to. I know of people from Melton Broady, Gisborne, and Kyneton have been there.”
One person joked that Sunbury needs its own indoor swimming pool, likely a jab at the local facility that’s closed for repair and maintenance having opened five years ago.
Poster Donna-Marie wrote: “Anything but pizza shops, hairdressers, nail shops, no more takeaways. Maybe something for teenage kids to do would be good.”
Marguerite suggested a free bike park for the “10 teenagers and kids who have built their own in the storm drain nature strip in the park…Creative, and they’ve used tools to do it, but it isn’t safe at all…Free bike park please for all ages.”
Vanessa asks for more toilets on long walking trails and water troughs for dogs.
Abbey wants more sporting facilities saying she’d like to see a family fun zone featuring activities such as bowling, go karts, arcade games, mini golf, roller skating rink, and an additional basketball stadium.
And Tania suggests Sunbury needs a shopping centre “…with everything under one roof as Sunbury is growing at a phenomenal rate”.
Simone would like to see “adequate shopping and parking for the ever-growing population”.
“Rosenthal has helped a little,” she says. “But they should have to build some of the proposed shops in the other developmental areas now as Sunbury town centre is unable to cope as it is.”
She also wants to see a “good water park” and a new aquatic centre and “adequate road infrastructure right across Sunbury to support the increased traffic”.
Greg pointed to Sunbury’s three local councillors saying: “The only way to change/increase the facilities is to change the councillors that chase income for Hume council first and are not at all concerned about rate payers.”
And finally, one person wants the impossible, asking for “…all the 100-year-old trees that were cut down along Sunbury Rd to be put back”.
