Month: January 2008

Maroondah Citizens Advice Bureau meeting 2008

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The Maroondah Citizens’ Advice Bureau began in 1967, with the founding of the Ringwood Advisory Service, which was one of the first advisory services at the time. The organisation became known as the Maroondah Citizens’ Advice Bureau Inc. following council amalgamations in 1996.

The Maroondah Citizens’ Advice Bureau delivers crucial support for some of Maroondah’s most vulnerable residents through providing advice, food assistance and referral services. The organisation is largely volunteer driven and maintains offices in both Ringwood and Croydon.

The Committee of Management meets on a monthly basis to enact policies and discuss the direction of the organisation. I have been a committee member of the Citizens’ Advice Bureau since mid 2006 and have recently authored a business and marketing plan for the organisation to identify its strategic direction and goals over the next four years.

2008 Maroondah Festival

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The Maroondah Festival is an annual community event with numerous attractions including a lifestyle precinct, youth precinct, a community expo and a large gourmet food area.

This year’s Maroondah Festival will also include a prominent sustainability display to discuss water, energy and transport conservation. The Festival is also part of the ReCharge Program, with power point avilable at the Information Tent located on the Main Oval to recharge motorised mobility aids.

The 2008 Maroondah Festival will be held on Sunday the 17th of February from 10am to 5pm at Croydon Park.

For more information please visit www.maroondahfestival.com.

Tour of CERES Community Environment Park

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CERES (Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies) was founded in 1981 as a four hectare community environment park located in Brunswick East near the Merri Creek. Over time the site has grown to include an animal farm, community gardens, cafe, walking trails as well as exhibits on energy, water and transport sustainability.

Alex Makin outside the CERES community environment garden

This afternoon I attended a tour of CERES, organised in conjunction with local residents, the Croydon Conservation Society and the North Ringwood Community House to learn about the project and to identify the potential for a similar scheme within Maroondah.

The tour, which coincidentally was conducted by a local Maroondah resident, provided a history of CERES, as well as understanding of the community garden and exhibits. CERES has progressed rapidly over the past twenty years, due to a strong partnership with the local council, community groups and businesses. Today, CERES is largely self-sufficient with a $5 million turnover, while promoting social equity and sound environmental practices.

CERES conducts a number of educational programs, including incursions and excursions for schools and other tour groups. The site is visited by over 330,000 people per annum with approximately 15,00 student visits. A partnership has been established by North Ringwood Community House, Eastern Volunteers Resource Centre, Park Orchards Community House, as well as Maroondah and Manningham Councils to investigate the potential of a similar project in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

The tour was most informative and provided an opportunity to see first-hand the benefits of a community environment park. While replicating a similar project in Maroondah may take some time it would certainly provide immense benefits to Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

Media Release: Go green at Maroondah Festival

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A Sustainability Expo to help Maroondah residents ‘go green’ is the latest addition to the Maroondah Festival to be held at Croydon Park on Sunday February 17.

Councillor Alex Makin said the Sustainability Expo is designed to encourage the community to incorporate environmentally sustainable methods into their daily lives.

“The Expo will feature workshops from Enviro Craft which aims to raise environmental awareness through education and hands on experiences,” said Cr Makin.

“Visitors to the festival can have some fun learning to make flags, musical instruments, and fashion accessories from recycled and reused materials that would normally go to landfill,” said Cr Makin.

“There will also be lots of information and environmentally friendly products and services on show, which can be used to conserve resources around the home,” said Cr Makin.

The popular Maroondah Festival Business Expos return again this year with the Lifestyle Expo featuring everything from cosmetics and skincare to photography and professional business advice. The Yarra Valley Nissan Auto Expo is a must see for car buffs and rev-heads alike. And if you are building, buying, renovating or after some home decorating ideas, make a note to visit the RESI Home Loans Homemaker Expo.

The RACV Community Expo is the place to see the largest gathering of Maroondah’s many social and support groups in one spot. Experience the diversity and talents of local performers with a day of live entertainment at the Community Stage and support the work of community organisations by buying a drink, snack or lunch at the DENSO Australia Community Food Court.

“The Kids Korner is the must-do activity for youngsters at the festival. The kids will love a day’s worth of on stage entertainment along with a petting zoo, a live educational reptile display by Snakebusters, face painting, rides and a special cow milking and butter making workshop,” said Cr Makin.

Local businesses and craft market holders are invited to participate in the Maroondah Festival as business exhibitors and craft site holders. Sites are limited and are filling quickly, so contact the Maroondah Festival office to secure your site.

For more information contact the Maroondah Festival office on 9294 5604.

Maroondah Journal: Concern over fallen wall

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The Maroondah Journal has reported on the collapse of a fence constructed by Southern Rocycling in a location that abuts the future Eastlink tollway.

Cr Alex Makin said the council had a number of concerns about the foundation of the fence.

This latest incident is part of a number of ongoing issues with Southern Rocycling, where the company has not regarded the amenity of the local community or respected building and planning requirements.

He said the council questioned Southern Rocycling on a variety of building matters and would like it to comply with relevant requirements.

Southern Rocycling, which has recently been acquired by CMA Corporation, needs to ensure that they start cooperating with Maroondah council and the community.

Maroondah Journal: Bus cuts criticised

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Due to summer timetables which take effect on bus routes operated by the former National Bus Company (now Ventura), bus passengers and public transport users face severe restrictions in their mobility over the summer.

The Maroondah Journal has reported on the punitive summer timetable cuts and their effect on public transport users:

Cr Alex Makin said bus routes in Maroondah were “seriously reduced” over summer months because of Ventura National’s “unique” contract.

Summer timetables, which take effect on the former National bus routes, are in operation between the 24th of December and the 11th of January. This often results in a half hourly bus route being reduced to just an hourly service, severely crippling Maroondah’s mobility.

“We are talking about a 50 per cent reduction, across any Ventura bus route in Maroondah. This affects 75 per cent of the municipality. It certainly severely limits people’s mobility to get out and partake in Maroondah’s recreational activities”.

Due to contractual oddities with the former National Bus network, summer timetables only affect Maroondah and Manningham, which are predominantly serviced by National Bus routes. There is a need for uniform bus contracts which remove the potential of punitive summer timetables.

“There is a huge need for the State Government to implement a uniform contract for all bus operators.”

Uniform contracts would prevent seasonal variations and also stipulate uniform operating hours and frequencies.

2007 in review: standing up for the community

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As we enter the final year of this current council term, it is important to reflect on the last twelve months so as to shape the priorities for 2008:

Improving Accessibility

Improving Sustainability

Advocating for Sustainable Transport

Standing up for the community

Over the course of this year I plan on continuing to stand up for the community, including through my involvement in the Committees of Management for the Maroondah Citizens’ Advice Bureau and North Ringwood Community House. I am also Maroondah’s representative on the Eastern Transport Coalition and am continuing my involvement to the Maroondah Tourism and Heritage Advisory Board. I should also be continuing as chair of the Maroondah Partners in Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee, although this will be dependent on the outcome of the notice to review that I issued for February’s council meeting.

It is critical that Maroondah becomes a leader in sustainability and accessibility. The vision for the Ringwood Transit City and Croydon Activity Centre will result in changes that will remain with us for at least 20 or 30 years. It is imperative that we get things right from the very beginning, so as not to repeat past mistakes.

I would like to thank the many people who have contacted me during 2007 to discuss issues within Maroondah. It is your calls and emails that provide me the opportunity to stand up for the community.

Thank you to everyone who has helped make Maroondah a better municipality throughout 2007.

Cr. Alex Makin

Councillor for Loughnan’s Hill Ward
City of Maroondah