The plan is to be presented to Denmark Shire Council for consideration before being put to the community for comments.

Bill James, Alex Hawthorne and wetland consultant, Nicole Siemen, were chosen from six landscape architect firms at the beginning of the year to bring specialised design skills to the project.

They have worked alongside the Community Park Working Group, comprising community representatives and councillors, developing the concept plan for the park site.

At the beginning of this project, the working group presented the results of more than 15 years of community ideas, perceptions and visions on how to develop the park. The consultants then incorporated these into their design.

Community working group member Neil Riddell said he expected the community to be delighted with the provisional plan despite the division and bitterness over the use of the land during the past few years.

“It’s both visionary and practical,” he said. “The resources, personnel and determination are available to make it happen over the next few years.

“This project, finally, has the potential to heal some of those wounds and provide the community with a magnificent recreational resource.”