Primary school-aged students are having to navigate their way through broken glass, dumped shopping trolleys, rubbish and used drug needles on a regular basis on their route to their Camillo school.
Mothers Camille Black and Toni Oliver said the bridge under Cammillo Road is supposed to be a safe option for students to get to and from Westfield Park Primary but instead it has been posing several issues for the school community for the past 10 years.
However the rubbish is not their only concern.
Heavy downpours in winter sees water rush through the tunnel and flood the school oval, making it unusable for staff and students, while a lack of fencing around the bridge near the wetlands and the boundary of the school also poses major issues to students’ safety.
Ms Black said it is a beautiful area but it seems to be forgotten. “Champion Lakes, Grovelands, John Dunn, Frye Park, Rushton Park are all areas that are well looked after,” she said.
“All we ask as members of the community and members of the school is to make it safe for our children and just as lovely as the surrounding areas.”
City of Armadale chief executive Joanne Abbiss said it is disappointing to see people treat their urban environment in this way.
“There have been reports of illegal dumping previously in this particular area and to ensure there is no danger to our community, it is removed,” she said.
“Our waste management and parks teams are working together to identify strategies to tackle illegal dumping.”
Ms Abbiss confirmed the city’s maintenance team mows Westfield Heron Reserve on a quarterly basis, which includes around the bridge area and the installation of a new fence would be up to the Water Corporation, as the bridge is not owned by the city.
“The city has an agreement with the Water Corporation to carry out basic maintenance of the waterway, which includes clearing litter and rubbish,” she said.
“Depositing waste materials onto private or public land is considered illegal dumping and ultimately costs the community for clean-up.”
To report illegal dumping email info@armadale.wa.gov.au or call 9394 5000.
