Month: December 2009

Maroondah Leader: $3.55m home for Ringwood Soccer

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Work is progressing on the redevelopment of the Ringwood’s soccer facilities at Jubilee Park with demolition starting this week. The Maroondah Leader has reported on the progress of this development which is expected to be complete by the end of 2010:

Maroondah Mayor Alex Makin said the start of works on December 8 was good news for the soccer club and the community.

“This major project will see the demolition of the old Ringwood soccer facilities,” Cr Makin said. “It will make way for a modern, multi-purpose, shared sports pavilion for the entire community to enjoy.”

The redevelopment has been possible due to funding from all levels of government, demonstrating what can be achieved with Local, State and Federal Governments are working in cooperation for the benefit of our community.

The new facility will provide a new home for Ringwood City Soccer, as well as meeting facilities and a gymnasium for the MVC Boxing Club.

This project also reinforces the prominence of Jubilee Park as a premiere sporting precinct within Ringwood and Maroondah.

Delegates’ Report: End of Year Functions for 2009

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This time of year is synonymous with end of year functions and I’ve attended several over the past month, including:

Despite us rapidly approaching the end of the year, it is still business as usual. On the 10th of December I had the pleasure of attending the graduation of the Maroondah FReeZA Group, Stuff Your Stereo Productions, along with Cr. Natalie Thomas, Rob Steane and Peter Gurr.

FReeZA is a program for young people who organise music gigs, through EVs Youth Centre in Croydon. This year’s group was particularly innovative in forming partnerships with other organisations and introducing gigs covering a range of musical genres and tastes. The Youth Services Team who oversee the group, are already busy at work planning for next year’s group and I commend the Team at EVs for organising yet another successful event.

Lastly, on the 13th I had the pleasure of opening the Maroondah Carols by Candlelight.

While there were patches of light rain during the morning, we were fortunate to have pleasant weather for the evening. The large crowd enjoyed the carols immensely and I would like to congratulate the many people and community organisations that worked together to host such a fantastic event.

2009 Maroondah Carols by Candlelight

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The Maroondah Carols by Candlelight is an annual event organised by the City of Maroondah and held at Ainslie Park in Croydon. The Carols provides an evening for families and an opportunity to showcase the musical talent that exists within Maroondah, including Maroondah Brass, Croydon Wind Symphony and Maroondah Singers.

This evening, as the Mayor of Maroondah I opened the 2009 Maroondah Carols by Candlelight:

In the spirit of Reconciliation, we acknowledge that we are meeting on land for which the Wurundjeri people have been custodians for many centuries, and on land which the Indigenous Australians have performed age old ceremonies.

We, Maroondah City Council, accept, respect and have shared with the Wurundjeri people in their customs of welcome.

The Wurundjeri people support the coming together of all people, respecting their individuality to focus on a unified and cohesive nation.

Greetings, it is my great pleasure, as the newly elected Mayor of Maroondah, to welcome you to the Maroondah City Council’s Carols by Candlelight concert.

I would like to welcome my fellow Councillors:

  • Cr Ann Fraser
  • Cr Peter Gurr
  • Cr Nora Lamont
  • Cr Michael Macdonald
  • Cr Paul Macdonald
  • Cr Rob Steane
  • Cr Natalie Thomas
  • Cr Les Willmott

To entertain you tonight we have some of Maroondah’s most talented musicians and we also expect to receive a visit from everyone’s favourite – Santa.

This evening is the result of the combined efforts of Maroondah Brass, the Croydon Wind Symphony, Maroondah Singers and Connection Community Church. Council is enormously grateful to these groups for their involvement in putting together this evening’s program and especially for the work undertaken by Ron Moore of Maroondah Brass, who is the Musical Director this year for Carols by Candlelight.

Tonight we will also be entertained by soloists: Mark Casey, Tanya Bail and Hannah Dahlenberg, as well as Croydon West Primary School students who will join us early on this evening.

As we enter the Festive Season it is a time to give recognition to all the people who make Maroondah the vibrant and dynamic city that it is. I would especially like to thank the enormous number of people who give their time and energy on a voluntary basis to help both Council and the Maroondah community.

Finally, I would like to thank all the performers and congratulate all those involved in the organisation of this event. Thank you also to Eastland for their generous support of this evening’s grand finale – a spectacular fireworks display – which I know you will all be eagerly awaiting.

Thank you and enjoy your evening.

Ringwood Spiders 2009 End of Year Barbeque

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While the football season might be over for 2009 the Ringwood Spiders, are still meeting regularly in preparation for next year’s season.

This morning the Spiders organised a barbeque to reflect on their successes over the past year, including winning the 2009 Football Integration Developnent Association (FIDA) Premiers Cup.

The cheerleader squad and players demonstrates how our community can include people with disabilities.

Pre-season training is due to begin in February and the Spiders are enthusiastic about the year ahead where they will be defending their title as Premier winners.

2010 should continue to be another sucessful year for the Spiders as they defend their Premiership win.

2010 Maroondah City Council meeting

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Maroondah City Council officially meets on a monthly basis from 7.30 pm at the Council Chambers, Braeside Avenue, Ringwood.

The public is welcome to attend and there is an opportunity to submit a question to be answered at council meetings or to speak directly with councillors and council staff after the meeting.

The Mayor chairs the council proceedings and copies of the agenda are available from the Maroondah City Council website prior to the meeting.

If you wish to submit a formal question at a council meeting, please download the form for Public Question Time from the Maroondah City Council Website.

Stuff Your Stereo Events – 2009 FReeZA Graduation

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One of the many activities organised through the EVs Youth Centre is the FReeZA program, which involves young people in organising musical events throughout the year.

Each year the FReeZA group choosing a name for itself and and plans a range of drug, smoke and alcohol free musical events. This year’s group was known as Stuff Your Stereo Events and included a number of innovative activities, including the fostering of a partnership with the southeast FReeZA network to provide a concert in support of young people affected by the bushfires earlier this year.

As the Mayor of Maroondah I was invited to speak at the graduation event for the FReeZA participants:

In the spirit of Reconciliation, we acknowledge that we are meeting on land for which the Wurundjeri people have been custodians for many centuries, and on land which the Indigenous Australians have performed age old ceremonies.

We, Maroondah City Council, accept, respect and have shared with the Wurundjeri people in their customs of welcome.

The Wurundjeri people support the coming together of all people, respecting their individuality to focus on a unified and cohesive nation.

Tonight’s graduation of the participants within Stuff Your Stereo Events, highlights the respect and individuality identified within the Acknowledgement of Country.

I would like to extend a warm welcome to you all and thank you for coming along tonight to celebrate the achievements of these remarkable young people.

The Maroondah FReeZA Group is a personal development program for young people aged 15-21 years of age and focuses on personal and professional skills through the organisation of all ages live music events.

I would like to congratulate each of the participants of Stuff Your Stereo Events who organised 11 all-ages music events over the course of this year. It was particularly impressive to see the group work in collaboration with other organisations, by providing a concert in support of young people affected by the Black Saturday fires.

Likewise, Stuff Your Stereo Events was instrumental in organising a Battle of the Bands to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Croydon Town Hall, the building that now contains EVs Youth Centre.

As you have heard from the participants, the Maroondah FReeZA Program is designed to give young people a practical learning experience & personal development through the organisation and facilitation of live music events.

Each of these young people here tonight have excelled in demonstrating effective communication skills, group processes, public speaking, assertiveness, decision-making, budgeting, writing press releases, stage managing and a range of life-skills. They have also developed specialised skills in the music industry such as how to operate a PA system, sound and acoustics, and lighting systems.

I recognise that the program is a huge commitment and I thank parents, families and friends for encouraging the young people throughout their participation, and for your support.

I would also like to acknowledge the efforts of Council’s Youth Services Team who have worked hard to deliver such a high quality program, I encourage each of the participants to remain involved with EVs and take part in the range of activities that are delivered throughout the year.

Congratulations to each of the Stuff Your Stereo Events participants on their achievements and thank you on behalf of the Maroondah community.

Eastern Volunteers – 2009 end of year function

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Eastern Volunteers provides volunteer recruitment and transport services for the frail aged and people with disabilities. The organisation has approximately twenty staff members and is supported through at least a hundred volunteers who assist in program delivery and services.

Tonight’s dinner provided an opportunity to thank the staff and volunteers who devote their time to the organisation and ensure that Eastern Volunteers is able to deliver its service professionally and sustainably.

Eastern Volunteers continues to experience strong growth and is planning on undertaking a series of major events over the course of next year to further its goals of securing funds for a new premises.

These events include the Fun Run in March, a Business Networking Dinner for April, the second Annual Regional Conference for August and the Multicultural Food Festival for October.

These events will assist in raising the profile of Eastern Volunteers and encourage new organisations and community members to become involved in the organisation.

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

Media Release: New look Ringwood Soccer Stadium on the way

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Demolition work has begun at Ringwood Soccer Stadium, paving the way for a $3.5 million redevelopment of the Jubilee Park site.

Mayor of Maroondah, Councillor Alex Makin said demolition works began on Tuesday 8 December, marking the first tangible step towards the completion of the eight-month project.

“Council has been working for some time on plans to redevelop the Ringwood Soccer Stadium, part of the Jubilee Park sports complex in Ringwood,” Cr Makin said.

“This major project will see the demolition of the old Ringwood soccer facilities to make way for the construction of a modern, multipurpose shared sports pavilion for the entire community to enjoy,” Cr Makin said.

“The new pavilion will feature male and female change facilities, associated car parking, grandstand and lighting,” Cr Makin said.

“The new pavilion will cater for various male and female sports codes and includes a boxing gymnasium. These facilities will complement the new all-weather synthetic surface playing field, to be completed after the building works are finished,” Cr Makin said.

Funding of $650,000 for the new all weather synthetic surface will be provided by Council and Sport & Recreation Victoria. The Federal Government has provided a $2.9 million grant for the project as part of the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program – Strategic Projects.

“This is great news for the Ringwood City Soccer Club, and for the Maroondah community as a whole,” Cr Makin said.

Media Release: Graduation for FReeZA crew 2009

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After hosting 11 gigs, 80 bands and over 4000 punters, the 2009 FReeZA crew will graduate from the program at EV’s Youth Centre on Thursday 10 December.

Mayor of Maroondah, Councillor Alex Makin said the crew, known as Stuff Your Stereo Events, had done a wonderful job throughout the year.

“There have been many highlights for the 2009 FReeZA crew and they should be rightly proud of their efforts,” Cr Makin said.

“Their contribution to the 100th birthday celebrations for Croydon Hall (EV’s Youth Centre) in November was outstanding, and included a Battle of the Bands event – a huge occasion for the group,” Cr Makin said.

“Another highlight was the crew’s involvement with the South Eastern Network’s staging of a benefit gig for young people affected by the February bushfires,” Cr Makin said.

“I’d like to congratulate Stuff Your Stereo Events and Council’s Youth Services Team for a job well done,” Cr Makin said.

Maroondah Mayor, Cr Makin attended the Graduation Ceremony, on Thursday 10 December, for the participants of the 2009 Maroondah FReeZA Group – Stuff Your Stereo Events.

The Graduation Ceremony provides an opportunity for Council to congratulate the participants on their achievements and to wish them well in their future endeavours.

Maroondah City Council places great value in formally recognising the commitment, dedication and achievements of this group of young people. During the Graduation Ceremony, each member of the group was presented with certificates by acknowledging their participation and were provided with a reflection of their achievements throughout the program.

The presentation was attended by the FReeZA group participants and family members.

The annual FReeZA program is based at EV’s Youth Centre at 212 Mount Dandenong Road, Croydon.

For more information on FReeZA or any of the other programs and events offered at EV’s Youth Centre, phone Council’s Youth Services team on 9294 5706 or visit www.evsyouthcentre.com

Maroondah Leader: Going public

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One of my first acts as the Mayor of Maroondah was to refuse the mayoral car.

I have been undertaking my council duties utilising a range of transport options, including public transport and walking. I believe it is imperative that we continue to encourage the use of sustainable forms of transport.

The Maroondah Leader has reported the decision to refuse the mayoral car:

Maroondah’s new mayor has vowed to ditch the mayoral car and use public transport instead.

“I’ll be taking the train and the bus and we’re going to have the mayoral Metcard, or the mayoral Myki depending as to when they introduce it.” Cr Makin said. “Given that I am a resident in the centre an area where we are encouraging people to use sustainable forms of transport, I want to lead by example.”

The usage and provision of public transport is vital to transformation of Ringwood into a vibrant, accessible and sustainable urban centre. The usage of public transport must be encouraged to enhance the mobility of Maroondah, through mitigating traffic congestion and improving social inclusiveness.

Cr Makin said he had not driven for years but got around his ward and performed his council duties successfully using public transport and walking.

While the centres of Ringwood and Croydon are relatively well-served by public transport, there is a need for further improvements to bus services to provide an alternative to driving to stations, as well as more frequent rail services during off-peak times.

Maroondah’s first Generation X mayor, aged 29, said he would focus on the environment and social inclusion. He invited constituents to contact him on Twitter, Facebook, his website or the phone.

As a council it is imperative that we are open to input and provide a range of methods to encourage discussion with our community. The Internet provides new methods of encouraging community participation and we should be at the forefront of using these tools to encourage dialogue and discussion.

As the mayor I will be continuing to regularly update my blog, as well as posting updates on Facebook and Twitter. I encourage members of the community to contact me so that we can continue making a difference in Maroondah.

In his inaugural speech on December 2, Cr Makin said the recent burning of the Ringwood Miners’ Cottage should prompt a public discussion on values to create “a civic pride that collectively demonstrates that such malicious destruction will not be tolerated”.

As a municipality it is imperative that we discuss the values shared by our community and work to reduce apathy and encourage civic participation. Acts like the destruction of the Miners Cottage should not be tolerated or accepted by our community and we need to create pride within our community to prevent such acts from occurring.

Cr Makin named priorities as the central Ringwood redevelopment, more venues for community organisations and access for people with disabilities.

The redevelopment of Ringwood provides a once in a generational opportunity to ensure that we get things right for Ringwood and to create an inclusive, accessible and sustainable urban centre. Pivotal to this will be the creation of community space where we can ensure that organisations can meet the needs of our community.

I hope that over the course of the next year I and my council colleagues will be able to achieve these goals.

Please continue visiting my website or follow me on Facebook and Twitter to discuss your visions for the City of Maroondah.