Entries relating to Sustainable Transport

Maroondah Disability Action Group meeting

Published by Alex Makin on Tuesday 12th of August, 2008

Monday, 15 September 2008
10:00 am	to	12:00 pm
Monday, 13 October 2008
10:00 am	to	12:00 pm
Monday, 10 November 2008
10:00 am	to	12:00 pm

The Maroondah Disability Action Group also known as the Disability Action Group Eastern Region, aims to provide a voice for people with disabilities across Maroondah and Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

The group is a community led movement and includes people with disabilities who desire to improve the accessibility of Maroondah and the outer east. Specific aims include:

• To provide systemic advocacy to influence policies at a local, state or federal level;
• To campaign for accessible transport improvements;
• To cooperate with other like minded groups at a local and state level, and
• To push for greater, accessible and inclusive health services.

The Maroondah Disability Action Group meets at 10 am on the second Monday of each month at the Ringwood Church of Christ at 13 Bedford Road in Ringwood.

The venue is fully accessible and in close proximity to Ringwood Station and bus routes 367 (Ringwood to Croydon via East Ringwood) and 679 (Chirnside Park Shopping Centre to Ringwood via Mount Evelyn, Montrose and Canterbury Road).

Maroondah Disability Action Group - aims and objectives

Published by Alex Makin on Monday 11th of August, 2008

The Maroondah Disability Action Group also known as the Disability Action Group Eastern Region, aims to provide a voice for people with disabilities across Maroondah and Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

Today’s meeting marked the adoption of a mission statement, whereby the group exists to raise awareness through advocacy for greater accessibility across the outer eastern region. This mission statement reinforces the purpose of the group and its focus on accessibility improvements across Maroondah and the outer east.

A series of objectives were also identified with the aims being:

• To provide systemic advocacy to influence policies at a local, state or federal level;
• To campaign for accessible transport improvements;
• To cooperate with other like minded groups at a local and state level, and
• To push for greater, accessible and inclusive health services.

Specific priorities include advocating for bus improvements, securing the redevelopment of Ringwood Station into an accessible transit interchange and mobility improvements across Maroondah. The group also aims to work cooperatively with other groups at a local, state and federal level to achieve these aims.

The Maroondah Disability Action Group meets at 10 am on the second Monday of each month at the Ringwood Church of Christ at 13 Bedford Road in Ringwood.

The venue is fully accessible and in close proximity to Ringwood Station and bus routes 367 (Ringwood to Croydon via East Ringwood) and 679 (Chirnside Park Shopping Centre to Ringwood via Mount Evelyn, Montrose and Canterbury Road).

Maroondah Leader: Council walks the walk

Published by Alex Makin on Tuesday 29th of July, 2008

In 2006 Maroondah City adopted its first Integrated Transport Strategy, this document highlighted the need for a pedestrian strategy, which was completed by council last year. Following from this strategy, council has now produced the principal pedestrian network, which indicates the streets that require footpaths within Maroondah.

The principal pedestrian network is now available for public comment and the Maroondah Leader has reported on the opportunity for public comment:

Cr Alex Makin said the plan would identify “missing links” to ensure all roads considered part of the network had at least one footpath. He said walking played an important role in encouraging participation in the community.

The construction of new footpaths to link shops, schools, hospitals, public transport stops and community facilities, would improve the accessibility and sustainability of Maroondah by encouraging walking and making our streets safer for people with mobility aids.

“The development of the network will go along way to improving walking options through local neighbourhoods,” Cr Makin said.

It is clear that the Maroondah community values sustainability and wants footpaths to ensure that walking is an option within our community. The community response in regard to council’s attempt to sell a laneway in Great Ryrie Street, which linked residents in Heathmont Road to bus stops for routes 670 and 367, demonstrates that the community expects council to deliver improvements to the pedestrian network.

Cr Makin said there had been a “lot of community anger” about the council’s plan to sell off the land. He said it was “ironic” that the council discussed selling off a walkway at the same meeting where its walkable communities plan was adopted.

It is important to preserve walking paths that assist in linking our community and encouraging sustainable transport. I would like to thank the residents that assisted in efforts to preserve this path and demonstrating that the community expects council to create a sustainable and safe environment that encourages and supports walking.

Maroondah Journal: Footpaths set for upgrade

Published by Alex Makin on Tuesday 29th of July, 2008

The Maroondah principal pedestrian network has reached draft status and was placed on public exhibition at the council meeting held on the 21st of July, This means that the community can now comment on the document and identify any additional parts of Maroondah that require footpaths.

The Maroondah Journal has reported on the document and the opportunity to further refine the network through community submissions:

Cr Alex Makin said walking played an important role in encouraging people’s participation in the community. “The principal pedestrian network will go a long way to improving walking options through local neighbourhoods for Maroondah residents.”

The principal pedestrian network aims to identify the locations within Maroondah that require footpaths. The areas that have been identified include streets that link public transport stops, schools, shopping precincts, health centres, as well as sporting and community facilities.

Once the final plan is adopted, council will implement a funding program to construct footpaths in these areas to assist in encouraging walking as a sustainable and accessible form of transport.

Copies of the principal pedestrian network are available from customer service centres or the Maroondah City Council website.

Eastern Volunteers board of management meeting

Published by Alex Makin on Monday 28th of July, 2008

Thursday, 31 July 2008
9:00 am	to	11:00 am
Thursday, 28 August 2008
9:00 am	to	11:00 am
Thursday, 25 September 2008
9:00 am	to	11:00 am
Thursday, 30 October 2008
9:00 am	to	11:00 am
Thursday, 27 November 2008
9:00 am	to	11:00 am

Eastern Volunteers is a not-profit organisation that provides volunteer assistance, as well as community transport for the frail aged and people with disabilities. The organisation aims to strengthen volunteering by providing training services and assistance in recruiting and placing volunteers within other community based associations.

Eastern Volunteers is also heavily involved in communtiy transport solutions and provides a range of transport services for home and community care (HACC) eligible clients to assist in enhancing social inclusion and reducing isolation. The organisation is also involved in programs which aim to look at how community transport can augment public transport and taxi services. Eastern Volunteers is also one of the partners of the Sustainable Living Space initiative, which aims to investigate the potential for an environmentally sustainable community centre in Melbourne’s outer east.

Eastern Volunteers was formed in 1976 and has 14 part-time staff with approximately 100 volunteers to assist in service delivery. A voluntary board of management oversees the policies and strategic direction of the organisation. I was co-opted onto the board of management in July 2008.

For further details on Eastern Volunteers please visit www.easternvolunteers.org.au.