Tag: Accessibility

Celebrating the 21st Birthday of the Croydon Stroke Support Group

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The Croydon Stroke Support Group is a community based organisation that supports people with stroke. The group provides peer support, as well as innovative programs to help restore confidence and provide assistance for people with stroke and their carers.

This morning I was invited to join the celebrations as the Croydon Stoke Support Group celebrated its 21st birthday. The group began due to a need for peer support group for with stroke in the eastern suburbs. Since this time the group has grown considerably, with weekly meetings, monthly barbecues, as well as art therapy and choir.

The Croydon Stroke Support Group has a strong interest in the arts, with exhibitions showcasing canvas, mosaic and photographic works undertaken by members. In addition the group recently formed the Stroke a Chord choir which involves members that have aphasia, a stroke condition where they are able unable to speak but can sing. The Choir provides an opportunity for these members to be involved within the group and is a first for Australia.

The large attendance at the Croydon Stroke Support Group demonstrates the far-reaching and positive impact the group has with members of the Maroondah community. I congratulate the Croydon Stroke Support Group on its successful 21st birthday.

Ringwood Cricket Club – 2010 Presentation Night

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The Ringwood Cricket Club is based at Jubilee Park in Ringwood and fields four sides in Victorian Premier Cricket, as well as  a fifth side in the Eastern Cricket Association.   This evening I attended the Ringwood Cricket Club’s presentation evening where distinguished players were recognised for their cricketing skills over the season.   The Club has a strong presence both on and off the field, whereby it is supported by volunteers and sponsors who provide valuable assistance to the Club and its activities.

The presentation evening held at the Karralyka Centre, provided an opportunity to reflect on these successes and to build a strong foundation for the upcoming Cricket Season.  Jubilee Park, with a range of sporting activities including Aquatic, Football, Cricket, and Soccer, is one of Maroondah’s premiere sporting precincts.  Council is replacing the grass at the second oval at Jubilee Park and will be increasing its water allocation, through other water savings, to ensure a playable surface for the upcoming season.

In addition, Council is undertaking a Management Plan of Jubilee Park, which will improve accessibility and the management of each of the facilities, as well as assessing the future needs for this precinct and Maroondah.  Combined, these initiatives will help ensure that we continue to meet the sporting and recreational needs of the Maroondah community.

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.

Maroondah Journal: Residents have crucial role, says new mayor

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One of my priorities as the Mayor for the next twelve months is to encourage community participation. The Maroondah Journal has reported on these aims:

Maroondah’s new mayor has called on the community to become more involved in its own future. Cr Alex Makin, who was elected mayor at a special meeting last Wednesday, said that far too often residents waited until something directly impacted them to become involved.

The community has a critical role in helping shape the priorities of council through contacting their elected Councillors and attending council meetings. This ensures that council is accountable to the public and is reflecting the views of the wider community.

He said residents’ role was much broader and included the right and opportunity to hold the council accountable at all times.

“Some may think voting in council elections is the only way for them to participate, but civic responsibility can extend to being a vital presence when council conducts its business.”

Civic involvement will lead to a higher level of participation within our community and help convey a sense of values for the City of Maroondah.

He also called on the community to reflect on its values and to work to impart them on others to prevent “tragic” acts of vandalism, such as the burning down of the Ringwood Miners Cottage last month.

As a council we must focus on the long-term sustainability of Maroondah and our community. The decisions we will be making during this term of council, including the redevelopment of Council and our community facilities, will continue to be felt well into the future.

It was humbling to be in a position where I could help shape the future of the area where I have lived since he was two.
“We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to ensure we get things right with the transformation of Ringwood into a vibrant, sustainable and accessible urban centre.” Cr Makin said.

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

Speaking to the Croydon Historical Society

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This evening I was invited to speak to the Croydon Historical Society about my family history and my role as a local Councillor for the Mullum Ward in Maroondah.

Maroondah’s historical societies document the history of the suburbs located within the municipality. This local history helps foster civic pride resulting in stronger community awareness and inclusion.

While Ringwood and Croydon may appear to be largely homogeneous, they do in fact have unique histories. While the Borough of Ringwood achieved severance from the Shire of Lillydale in 1924, the Shire of Croydon was not proclaimed until 1961, one year after Ringwood was declared a City.

The fact that Croydon did not achieve severance until forty years after Ringwood, demonstrates the differing pace of urbanisation. The City of Croydon was proclaimed in 1971 and was merged with the City of Ringwood to form the City of Maroondah in 1994.

An appreciation for local history is something I view as important for local Councillors. Just as the decisions of the past influence the choices we have today, the decisions we as a council make will continue to be felt into the future.

As an example, Ringwood’s initial growth was largely due to the railways, with the opening of the Lilydale rail line and Ringwood Station in 1882. Due to the station requiring flat land it was sited in its current location between Ringwood Streets and Warrandyte Road. This was despite the fact that the township of Ringwood was largely formed around the antimony mining of Ringwood East.

As a result the centre of Ringwood shifted around the rail station, with substantial residential subdivisions taking place from the 1920s due to the electrification of the rail line.

This decision made well over 100 years ago still has ramifications for Ringwood today. The location of Ringwood Station, as well as serving as the junction for the Belgrave and Lilydale lines shaped Ringwood into a major commercial precinct. The challenge now is to improve its walkability and accessibility through improvements to pedestrian crossings and better linkages between the residential and retail parts of Ringwood and the station.

Not all decisions made in the past are of benefit to us today. The decision by the former City of Ringwood to demolish the former Ringwood Town Hall in 1970 removed a prominent civic building from the heart of Ringwood and denied future generations with the possibility of utilising community space within the centre of Ringwood.

This decision is one that is still felt today, with a shortage of community space within Ringwood and a lack of an historic building to create a sense of identity. The redevelopment of Eastland and the creation of a new town square provide a once in a generational opportunity to correct this mistake and enable us to restore a civic and community heart to Ringwood.

In contrast, Croydon will be celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the Croydon Town Hall, which is located on Mount Dandenong Road and now houses EV’s Youth Centre.

I have lived in Ringwood since I was two years old, previously in Carruthers Court in Heathmont (near Wantirna Road) and then in Mundara Drive in Ringwood North and now in Bond Street within the middle of Ringwood.

Over these years Ringwood and Croydon have still experienced significant changes, such as the development of Croydon Hills which was still taking place during the 1990s while I was a high school student.

Ringwood and Croydon have unique and detailed histories and as a Councillor it is important to be mindful of the past so that we make the best decisions for the future.

Maroondah Leader: Council wants fast-track for station upgrade

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The Maroondah Leader has reported on the need for the full redevelopment of Ringwood Station to be included within the upcoming 2009-2010 Budget.

Cr Alex Makin said the station upgrade would be a “catalyst for the transformation of Ringwood. We need the State Government to back up the commitment it made late last year.”

While the State Government committed $39 million for the redevelopment of the Ringwood station forecourt and bus interchange, this funding will not alter the station itself or improve accessibility for train users.

“It will stimulate local economic activity, create jobs within the region and encourage inclusion since the project would create a station that is accessible.”

The redevelopment of Ringwood Station would stimulate economic activity not just to Maroondah but throughout the outer eastern suburbs.

Furthermore, a commitment towards the station would demonstrate that the State Government has confidence in its policies for Ringwood and would therefore encourage further development to transform Ringwood into a vibrant ubran centre.

“Now is the ideal time for the Government to commit to the project in its entirety.”

A commitment towards infrastructure projects such as creating an accessible, inclusive and easy to use Ringwood Station and interchange would demonstrate a commitment to Maroondah and the regional economy.

The State Budget is due in early May.

Delegates' Report: Community Houses, water conservation and upcoming conferences

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On the 24th of March I attended the Ringwood Precinct Open House, which provided an opportunity for residents living within the Ringwood Central Activities District and namely the residential area to the west of Ringwood to actively engage council and discuss any concerns they may have.

It was great to see a strong interest from the community and discussion with council around areas such as Eastland, Ringwood Station, open space and traffic. I would like to thank the many staff across all areas of council who engaged the community and took the time to hear and provide feedback.

There were three annual general meetings that I attended over the past month, including the North Ringwood Community House on the 24th of March. North Ringwood Community House is the only community house in Maroondah which is a registered training organisation and as a result they provide TAFE accredited Certificate III and IV training courses, in areas such as Aged Care, Palliative Care and Disability Services.

As I’ve reported previously, the priority for the house is to find a new location which will improve its accessibility and provide additional rooms to cater for increasing enrolments. The house recently submitted its grant application for feasibility study funding through the Department of Planning and Community Development.

The following day on the 25th of March I attended the annual general meeting for Central Ringwood Community House based in Bedford Park in Ringwood. Central Ringwood Community House provides an emphasis on computer training courses, as well as educational services to migrant communities and many other areas of interest for our community. The house is continuing to experience ongoing growth and has plans to improve accessibility and provide additional classroom facilities.

The Maroondah Citizens Advice Bureau AGM was held on the 1st of April and provided an opportunity for its membership to meet their new office manager and report on the ongoing growth in their emergency food relief. The guest speaker for the meeting was from the Primary Care Partnerships who spoke about food security and the difficulties some households are experiencing in purchasing fresh and nutritious food.

On the 4th of April I attended the launch of the Ringwood Bowls Club Water Reclamation Facility. The project provides three water tanks and a water retention system collecting water from the roof, adjacent roadways, the car park and their greens resulting in a capacity of 280,000 litres. It is estimated that the facility will conserve 1.5 million litres providing significant water savings. This project was the culmination of cooperation between all levels of government, Federal, State and Local, which included a grant from Council’s Water Sustainability Fund.

Lastly, Eastern Volunteers have organised a conference for the 13th and 14th of May exploring volunteer, social inclusion and community wellbeing. For details, including registration and the conference program, please visit their website at www.easternvolunteers.org.au.

Tour of Maroondah’s Community Facilities – Ringwood

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The council tour of community facilities continued this evening to include several community and leisure facilities located within Ringwood.

The first destination was the Karralyka Centre, which is Maroondah’s home to theatre and the performing arts. The Karralyka Centre also serves as a performance space to local groups and schools and also provides function rooms for events.

While the location of Karralyka is not ideal, it is accessible through bus route 670 along Maroondah Highway and hopefully the State Government will introduce a new direct service from along Mount Dandenong Road as part of the bus service reviews.

The tour continued through to Central Ringwood Community House, which is located in Bedford Road, Ringwood in close proximity to Ringwood Station. Central Ringwood Community House is part of Bedford Park and manages the community hall that is located on the site.

Central Ringwood Community House. includes a number of classrooms and permanent computer training facilities. The Community House is the recipient of the Federal Government’s Better Regions Program which will be utilised to improve accessibility and provide new classrooms.

Federation Estate was the next destination and is located along Greenwood Avenue near Jubilee Park and Ringwood’s main sporting precinct. Federation Estate includes the Maroondah Art Gallery, which features several prominent exhibitions, including local artists. The arts are further reinforced through an artist in residency program where artists are able to complete their artwork within Federation Estate.

The facility also includes several meeting rooms available to community groups and the Amazing Space playground, which is a fully accessible playground focusing on the senses and imagination. Amazing Space is a unique sensory focused playground and has received a number of awards and positive reviews.

The Maroondah Indoor Sports Stadium, was the next destination and is located along Canterbury Road. The facility provides four basketball courts and recently introduced martial arts lessons. The stadium is extremely well utilised by a number of basketball and netball clubs.

Ringwood Golf Course, is next door to the Maroondah Indoor Sports Stadium and is an eighteen hole public golf course. The golf course includes a cafe, which caters to both golf patrons and external functions with views overlooking the course. Ringwood Golf Course offers coaching and golf lessons, as well as a golf shop which stocks a wide range of golfing equipment.

After the golf course the tour continued through to the Jubilee Park Ringwood Soccer Pavilion. Council has applied for federal funding to redevelop the soccer pavilion and to provide facilities for the MVC Boxing Club. Should this grant be approved it will provide premiere soccer facilities within Maroondah, as well as introduce new sports within the Jubilee Park sporting precinct.

Ringwood Aquatic Centre was the last destination of the tour. The Aquatic Centre provides a 50 metre indoor pool, as well as a hydrotherapy pool and general purpose swimming facilities. The floor of the aquatic centre is currently being re-tiled and funding was successful to introduce a co-generation plant to reduce the facility’s energy consumption.

While Ringwood is fortunate to include several prominent sporting and cultural facilities that are only a short five or ten minute walk from the centre of Ringwood, improvements to wayfinding and signage would assist in re-connecting these facilities.

Scoot Wheel n Move – representing people with mobility aids

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Scoot Wheel and Move is a local community group under the auspices of Eastern Access Community Health. The group aims to improve accessibility within Maroondah, particularly for people that use mobility aids such as wheelchairs, scooters and walking frames.

Today’s meeting discussed Maroondah’s recently adopted Principal Pedestrian Network, with members supporting the need for more footpaths. Footpaths were recently constructed within central Ringwood and footpaths will be extended around Maroondah Hospital.

The need for a Disability Advisory Committee was also discussed and this is currently being explored through the Maroondah Disability Policy. A Disability Advisory Committee would augment the quarterly forums for people with disabilities and carers, through advising council on policy initiatives that would improve accessibility within Maroondah.

While based within Maroondah Scoot Wheel n Move does include members from Knox and the Shire of Yarra Ranges, ensuring that the group is able to focus on the accessibility needs across Melbourne’s outer eastern suburbs.

Central Ringwood Community Centre2009 AGM

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Central Ringwood Community Centre is located within Bedford Park in Ringwood and provides a range of educational courses, as well as workshops for newly arrived migrants and meeting rooms for a variety of community groups.

Due to the new ward boundaries, I am fortunate to have two community houses within the Mullum Ward, Central Ringwood Community Centre and North Ringwood Community House.

The houses cater to different needs within the community while also working in partnership to deliver joint courses. Central Ringwood Community Centre, with its location in Bedford Road has worked closely with newly arrived migrants, including the Sudanese and Burmese communities, as well as providing a number of computer courses and several social groups.

Today’s annual general meeting confirmed the committee of management for the upcoming year and provided an update on the House’s successful application to the Federal Government’s Better Regions Program. This funding will improve the accessibility of the house and create new classrooms to further expand its services.

The Federal Government should be congratulated for recognising the importance of community houses and the services they provide.

Community Houses provide a critical service within a community through encouraging social inclusion and delivering new skills and educational opportunities.

I look forward to working closely with Central Ringwood Community Centre as it continues to serve the Ringwood community.

For further information on Central Ringwood Community Centre please visit www.crccinc.org.au.