for a full-scale investigation of the proposal for a linear park. During 1979–80, the Board of Works continued breaking up the concrete lining of the channel and filling with clay dug to install the sewer in Mount Evelyn. Only the section beyond Nekla Street still possesses the original open channel. In early 1980 the Council recommended subdividing or transferring to adjacent landowners most of the aqueduct reserve. From Wedderburn Crescent to York Road was to be retained by Council as "linear reserve", that opposite the Clegg Road intersection was proposed for "an institutional purpose or transferred to Council as a public reserve or site for municipal development" and the section south of Priestley Crescent was to be public open space, but not by managed by Council. MEEPPA members, especially Vin Mishkinis and Jan Simmons, doorknocked homes in all streets close to the aqueduct, informing people of the threat, and inviting them to join the "Friends of the Aqueduct Park". Of the 359 who joined, 222 lived in Mount Evelyn and 128 offered to attend working bees. In addition to copies of the 359 "Friends" forms, 37 submissions, plus 19 signatures on joint letters or petitions, were made to the Council. Approximately 5 of these supported private use of the land. The remainder supported retaining the aqueduct as a linear park. The decision in open Council, moved by Graham Colling, to purchase three kilometres "in principle", satisfied nobody. The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) then announced that their price was $261,000. Lillydale Shire, divided into four ridings with the aqueduct in East Riding, had East Riding Councillors Colling and Gersch in favour of selling the land. State politics came into play with the 1982 State election. Neil Pope and Bill Borthwick, opposing candidates, both supported the linear park proposal. Pope, now the member for Monbulk, Victoria, addressed Parliament in May 1982. Considerable efforts were made to resolve the ownership, financial and management issues. In 1983–84, Lillydale Shire Council built the Joy Avenue kindergarten on aqueduct land which it did not own. Largely through the efforts of Pope, negotiations on a price of $80,000 between the Shire and the MMBW began in 1984. By 1989 the issue of sale was "clarified by the restriction that the majority of the land had to be purchased as a whole by a public authority, and not sold off privately". Partnership The Friends of