Hampton Park Fire Brigade
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					Hampton Park grew out of subdivision following the First World War. It was subdivided in 1916 into small blocks ranging from 5 to 20 acres. When lots were taken up, redgums were plentiful. The road through the settlement was named Somerville Road. Scott Bros. who owned a dairy farm at Hallam Road bought around eighty acres of the property. Scott Bros. supplied the new settlers with water from his dam on this property and also gave assistance with ploughing and cropping the smallholdings. The area has developed considerably since electricity was introduced in 1942 and water was first supplied to Hampton Park in October 1961. Hampton Park suffers from an identity problem finding itself within Dandenong's orbit yet bound to the City of Casey. It has developed from the small settlement after World War 1 to a sizeable town of 18,172, and has had less formal planning than its neighbours. In 1977, the outline plan for Hampton Park was launched by the MMBW, which at the time was approved by the Shires of Berwick and Cranbourne. Cranbourne agreed with Berwick that it should be a low density zone, but that in Cranbourne the Pound Road/Hallam Road area should be a high density zone. In 1978 the area around the intersection of Hallam and Somerville Roads area was declared "reserved living" under MMPS (Melbourne & Metropolitan Planning Scheme) and was extended by 375 m2 allowing for landscaping, parking & loading areas. An extension of allotments was made for a shopping centre of 100,000 sq. ft for Safeway. In 1979, the Hampton Park Shopping Centre was extended by 504 m2 shopping space and 27 additional car-park spaces were provided. Today the Hampton Park Shopping Centre comprises of three main areas, Hampton Park Shopping Square, Hampton Park Central & Hampton Park Food Market. Hampton Park Post Primary school opened in 1986 incorporating elements of light technical schools, in 1987 classes went to year 8 and today to year 12. Hampton Park Primary School is an example of the explosion in the enrolments due to rapid development, this was due to the ad accent Housing Commission Estate. This growth led to the sighting of another school, Hampton Park East Primary School (now known as River Gum Primary School) in Fordholm Road and this school commenced operation in 1976. Today Hampton Park has five primary schools with the completion of Kilberry Valley Primary School which opened it's doors in 1998. Hampton Park Fire Brigade goes back in its earliest records to 1944 but was active before that year. Highlights have been the construction of the fire station in 1971, the perpetual trophy in memory of Lieutenant. "Tubby" Taylor in 1971 and the formation of a Junior Fire Brigade in 1972. The formation of "task forces" has seen the brigade operate in times of need as far away as Rowville, Upwey, Patterson River, Dandenong, Melton & Mt. Macedon. On Ash Wednesday 1983 24 members of the brigade worked 12 hour shifts for 60 hours in Gembrook & Upper Pakenham areas.
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