Posts related to 'karralyka'

Policies

Published by Alex Makin on Monday 10th of November, 2008

Lets continue making a difference

I would like to thank you, for the opportunity you have given me over the past three years to be your
elected councillor.

This section of my website provides an overview of some of the work I have undertaken as a Councillor and our vision for the future. Together we can continue making a difference and ensure an accessible and sustainable municipality through a council that is accountable to the public.

I will not take your vote for granted.

Accessibility

Maroondah needs to be accessible for people of all ages and abilities.

Achievements over the past three years include:

• Increased funding for accessibility works making it easier for people to get around.
• Upgrades to council facilities, such as Karralyka, to ensure compliance with accessibility standards.

Our vision

The Ringwood redevelopment means we can create an accessible, inclusive and vibrant town centre.
We can create opportunities for all; our youth, families, elderly and people with disabilities, by providing
safe and accessible communities.

I support the construction of footpaths and will advocate for an accessible and safe Ringwood Station, as well as further transport improvements.

Sustainability

We need to protect our environment and improve our community facilities.

Achievements include:

• $1 million water fund used to reduce water usage and install water tanks for sporting grounds
  and council buildings.
• Council sustainability fund to reduce energy consumption and minimise council electricity costs.
• Public transport advocacy resulting in more bus services and the removal of zone three.

Our vision

Council must become an environmental leader and reduce its impact on the environment.

We need to hold regular workshops and forums to assist our community and businesses to improve their
environmental sustainability.

I support a new community centre for Ringwood North and upgraded facilities for Ringwood Aquatic Centre.

Accountability

Local council must be accountable to the community.

Achievements include:

• Standing up for the community and successfully preventing the sale of public parkland.
• Preventing inappropriate development and ensuring higher planning standards.
• Organising resident meetings so people can voice their opinions in order to deliver better outcomes.

Our vision

Improvements to open meetings to ensure that council is accountable. I will continue to provide ongoing updates to my website and blog to keep you informed, as well as meeting the community groups, residents, businesses and ratepayers that are within Maroondah.

Find out more

Visit my Internet Journal and read about the activities, achievements and projects I have undertaken as a member of the community and a councillor for the City of Maroondah.

Alternatively please contact me on 9812 2337 or 0409 136 213, or email alex@alexmakin.com.au.

The Good Life After Stroke Expo and Information Day

Published by Alex Makin on Monday 15th of September, 2008

Stroke occurs when the supply of blood to the brain is suddenly disrupted through a blood clot or bleeding to the brain. Stroke effects over 53,000 Australians every year and is the second cause of death after Heart Disease.

The Good Life After Stroke Expo and and Information Day was organised in partnership between Maroondah City Council and the Croydon Stroke Support Group to raise awareness about stroke and the support services that are available. The event, expanded upon the Croydon Stroke Support Group’s Brush Strokes exhibition which was held last year. The group’s artworks was on display at Karralyka as were a number of information sessions and community stalls.

Stroke is the biggest cause of disability within our community and approximately half of the stroke survivors will experience permanent disabilities, such as paralysis, memory loss, speech or vision impairment. Despite these challenges, it is possible to lead a good life after stroke and a number of stroke survivors discussed their first hand experiences with the recovery process and new lease on life.

Peer support for both stroke survivors and carers is available through groups such as the Croydon Stroke Support Group and through health and community agencies. While the path to recovery can be difficult, the speakers reinforced the need for perseverance and a positive outlook. This optimism was clearly apparent in the art that has been created by members of the Croydon Stroke Support Group and the use of tools as innovative as eye droppers and chopsticks allowed a chance for everyone to participate.

The Good Life After Stroke Expo and Information Day helped showcase the support services that are available for people that experience stroke and I would like to congratulate the Croydon Stroke Support Group for its efforts in demonstrating that a good life after stroke is possible.

Delegates’ Report: opportunities for people with disabilities, the upcoming writers festival and the strength of community spirit

Published by Alex Makin on Monday 18th of August, 2008

On the 23rd of July I had the pleasure of attending Titanic - the Untold Story: Resunk by the Monkami Drama Group hosted at the Karralyka Centre. The performance revisited the drama group’s 2007 production through the introduction of new characters and a revised script.

Monkami is a service provider for adults with an intellectual disability and aims to develop skills that will enable them to live with the greatest degree of independence within their own community.

Each performer was given the opportunity to develop their own character drawing upon many popular names such as James Bond, Captain Jack Sparrow, Wolverine and Judge Judy and of course Napoleon who was the villain of the show.

The level of detail in the performance was incredible, not only was the stage decked out as the Titanic, and the costumes extremely thorough, but they even gave Titanic hats to the audience to ensure that they were part of the show. It was all hands on deck, when everyone tried to escape the sinking Titanic, fortunately with the audience joining in on the hokey pokey we were all able to escape to dry land!

After two successful seasons the production is now considering further opportunities to continue the performance, including the potential of a touring show.

The Ringwood Spiders, based in Jubilee Park in Ringwood, is a football team for people with disabilities and on the 27th of July I attended their last home game for the season against the Maribyrnong Bulldogs. Like Monkami, the Ringwood Spiders is another example of how people with disabilities can participate within our community. It was great to see the Spiders playing one of their best games for the season, with the players coming together as one team and playing some extraordinary football.

With such on-field skills the Spiders defeated their opposition, which was a fitting way to end their last home game for the season at Jubilee Park.

Groups like Monkami and the Ringwood Spiders demonstrate that when given the opportunity people with disabilities can participate within our wider community. Perhaps the most wonderful aspect of these two events, was the breadth of the wider community support. Community groups such as the Ringwood Ballet Group and the Ringwood Movie Makers provided immense support to Monkami and the Ringwood Football Club is one of the Spiders biggest supporters, providing the use of training facilities and clubrooms.

On the 5th of August I attended Maroondah’s Forum for People with Disabilities and Carers, which provides an opportunity to raise issues in regard to accessibility so that we can strive for an inclusive community.

The forum provided an opportunity to discuss the feedback from the workshop held earlier this year and it was encouraging to see most of the input being incorporated into the forum. I would like to thank the many departments that are responsible for the forum, including Metro Access, aged and disability services, community planning and development and council’s engineers.

The forum continues to demonstrate the importance of providing dialogue and hearing first-hand the accessibility issues that exist within Maroondah so that as a council we can work towards making a difference through creating an inclusive municipality.

Lastly, this morning I attended a steering group meeting of the Maroondah 2008 Writers and Readers Festival.

The Festival which will be held between the 3rd and 5th of October include writer’s workshops, discussion groups and keynote speakers around the key theme of crime. The event which is funded through a Maroondah City Council grant in partnership with Eastern Regional Libraries will feature a number of prominent writers including John Silvester, the author of the Underbelly.

Once again the community spirit shines through in the preparation for the festival, with North Ringwood Community House offering to manage ticket sales and businesses such as Lakeside Cafe being available as a venue.

For details please visit the Eastern Regional Library website at www.erl.vic.gov.au, otherwise details are also available on my own web site at www.alexmakin.com.au.

Monkami - Titanic the Untold Story: Resunk

Published by Alex Makin on Wednesday 23rd of July, 2008

Monkami is based in Croydon and aims to provide skills for people with intellectual disabilities to empower their participants to live with the greatest degree of independence within their own community.

This evening I attended Monkami’s performance of Titanic the Untold Story: Resunk at the Karralyka Centre. The performance is the sequel to their debut stage production, Titanic the Untold Stories and featured more characters, video effects and audience props like paper Titanic hats.

Where else can such a diverse range of characters, like James Bond, Judge Judy, Ridge Forrester, Clint Eastwood, Wolverine and Caption Jack Sparrow, meet but in Titanic the Untold Story: Resunk? The performance was followed by a question and answer session, where it was explained that the actors themselves chose and developed their characters.

The plot followed the attempted capturing of the Titanic by Napoleon, only to be foiled by James Bond and sentenced in Judge Judy’s courtroom. While the drama unfolds, the Titanic crashes into the iceberg and the audience and castl sing the hokey pokey to make sure that everyone escapes!

The enthusiasm and participation from the audience was fantastic and reinforced the creativity of the performance. With such a positive reception, there is only going to be bigger things around the corner for the Monkami Drama Group!

The performance also displayed the remarkable video talents of the Ringwood Movie Makers and was also supported by the Ringwood Ballet Group and it was great to once again see other community groups supporting the performance.

For details on Monkami please visit www.monkami.org. Information on Ringwood Movie Makers is available from www.ringwoodvideo.org.au and details for Ringwood Ballet can be found at www.ringwoodballet.org.au.

Delegates’ Report: Support services, musical talents, advancing reconciliation and planning for Community Safety Week

Published by Alex Makin on Monday 21st of July, 2008

On the 20th of June I had the pleasure of attending Hope City Mission’s Charity Auction Evening. Hope City Mission, based in Croydon South provides assistance to people in need within our community. The mission does this by not only providing emergency relief in the form of food and clothing but by also focusing on the wellbeing of individuals. Through this focus on wellbeing and empowering change the Mission provides pamper days and extravaganza days, which provide haircuts and a chance to socialise and restore community connectedness. I also had the pleasure of seeing the Mission’s Pamper Day in action, last Friday on the 18th of July and I saw firsthand the benefits this service provides to some of our most vulnerable community members.

Individual wellbeing is just as important as food and clothing and Hope City achieves its Mission through broadening its focus on empowerment.

On the 4th of July the Eastern Transport Coalition held its Public Transport Summit, entitled it’s ‘Time to Move On’, that is time to move away from car dependence and the crippling cost that petrol is having on our families and towards public transport improvements. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the many members of the Maroondah community who attended the summit and supported my presentation on the need for the redevelopment of Ringwood Station and the importance of the Ringwood Transit City as a regional centre.

The redevelopment of Ringwood Station is critical to ensuring the revitalisation of Ringwood. The current station fails accessibility standards and is perceived to be unsafe, with Ringwood Station consistently being perceived as one of the most unsafe locations within Maroondah. Coupled with traffic calming along Maroondah Highway, pedestrians which total approximately 10,000 per day would be able to conveniently travel between the transport interchange and the residential/commercial precincts of Ringwood.

The Eastern Transport Coalition has recognised Ringwood’s importance as a regional centre and as a council we must support our neighbouring municipalities in calling for greater investment in public transport. There is strength in Maroondah being part of a concerted regional push, whereby one million residents across the eastern suburbs, recognise the importance in redeveloping Ringwood Station. Let us hope that the State Government heeds this call and delivers this essential upgrade to the station.

On the 11th of July I attended the Maroondah NAIDOC week celebrations which commemorated council’s permanent flying of the Aboriginal flag and I would like to congratulate the many community groups, the Indigenous networks and the Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place for attending the ceremony.

The theme for this year’s NAIDOC week is ‘Advance Australia Fair?’ It is important to note that the organisers intended this theme as a question, since it is a timely reminder of the health, education and wellbeing inequities that exist between non-Indigenous and Indigenous Australia. Council’s Reconciliation Plan, which is included on tonight’s agenda will hopefully assist in bridging this gap and ensure that we as local government are working towards reconciliation.

On the 12th of July I had an afternoon of music, firstly with Enjoying Planned Retirement’s Hidden Talents concert. Where EPR’s unveiled the diverse singing, comedy and music talents of its expansive membership. EPR states that they are ‘recycled teenagers’ although I don’t think my teenage years were ever that fun! I would like to congratulate EPR on yet another fun filled event and look forward to the next Hidden Talents concert in September.

That evening I attended the Ringwood Eisteddfod, marking its 54th year of showcasing the immense musical talent that exists within our community. I would like to commend the many people involved in organising and performing within the Eisteddfod.

While the Premier and Cabinet held a community cabinet session in Karralyka on the 15th of July, I was busy chairing the Maroondah Partners in Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee. With the year half over it is encouraging the see the continuation of the strong networking that exists within the committee with a number of agencies and organisations, such as Connex and the Department of Education, assisting council in undertaking activities for Community Safety Week in October. Do watch this space for details on the council activities for Community Safety Week.