THE ACT Government has moved to re-zone a vacant block of land in Chisholm to pave the way for it become the new Caroline Chisholm Park.

The community’s wish to see the land turned into a park goes back to the establishment of the suburb in the 1980s, when the land wasn’t developed and a small play area was constructed on the site.

Following a proposal to subdivide the land in 2011, strong community support for the retention of the site as public open space prompted the Government to start a process to formally recognise the site as a park.

Environment and Sustainable Development Minister Simon Corbell said the government made a commitment in July 2012 that the block would not be sold for development, but would instead be retained as a park for the local community.

“This variation is an important step that, if approved, will give proper status to this popular area of open space which could then be formally named Caroline Chisholm Park,” Mr Corbell said today.

Caroline Chisholm was a 19th-century humanitarian who is known especially for her work to improve the lives of migrants in Australia during the 1800s, especially women and girls.

Draft variation 326 is available for public comment at act.gov.au/draftvariations from 13 December 2013 until 17 February 2014.