Tag: Accessibility

Ringwood Precinct Open House

Posted on by alex

The centre of Ringwood, has recently been identified as a Central Activities District and has been earmarked for significant urban revitalisation and aims to transform Ringwood into an accessible and vibrant urban centre.

Within the Ringwood Central Activities District is a significant residential area, such as the North Western Residential Precinct, which is bound by Ringwood Street, Nelson Street, Bond Street and Burwood Avenue.

This part of Ringwood has seen significant changes such as the construction of multi-storey developments and as a resident in Bond Street I have seen and experienced this first-hand.

This afternoon Council organised an Open House for residents and property owners within this area to discuss amenity issues and identify potential solutions. Residents and property owners were able to express their concerns and speak directly to council staff and myself as an elected Councillor.

Recently constructed footpaths have improved the accessibility of this area and a new playground is planned for the park on the corner of New Street. The playground will be connected through the Eastlink shared trail and will include play equipment, seating and shelter.

In addition, a bridge over Maroondah Highway will provide a continuous linkage for pedestrians and cyclists and is expected to be completed later this year.

Sustainability is at the forefront of Ringwood’s transformation with water tanks, energy efficiency, as well as bicycle facilities and footpath construction, being a part of new developments within this precinct.

Waste management is also being improved through conditions requiring body corporate involvement such as maintaining their own private garbage collection. This will reduce the number of rubbish bins located on nature strips during garbage collection days.

In addition parking issues are also being explored and council will shortly be releasing a strategy to address these concerns and reduce difficulties in travelling through streets within this area.

It was great to see the many people, including neighbours of mine, taking advantage of the Open Day and speaking directly to council.

The transformation of Ringwood presents challenges to Maroondah Council and the wider community. These challenges are being addressed to ensure that our amenity to achieve our vision of creating a more sustainable and accessible Ringwood.

Ongoing updates are critical to Ringwood’s revitalisation and a dedicated website www.ringwoodgoingplaces.com.au has been created to provide ongoing updates on projects undertaken within the Ringwood Central Activities District.

North Ringwood Community House 2009 AGM

Posted on by alex

This morning North Ringwood Community House held its Annual General Meeting to elect committee members for the next two years. The community house appoints a two-year term for its committee members to provide continuity, while still providing flexibility for new members to get involved.

I have been re-elected onto the Committee of Management so that I can continue to provide advice in regard to advancing the aims of the new Community House for Ringwood North.

While changes to the Local Government Act may unnecessarily complicate a councillor’s involvement in community organisations, I believe that my inclusion on the committee assists the house in being able to achieve its goal of new premises. The relocation of North Ringwood Community House will allow for the expansion of its services and to meet the growing needs of an increasingly diverse Ringwood North and Ringwood community. In particular it would provide for an accessible community house within a location that can be accessed by people residing in both Ringwood and Ringwood North.

I was also the guest speaker at the AGM and discussed the transformation of Ringwood as a designated Central Activity District and the need for community facilities to be at the forefront of this project.

Recent improvements to Ringwood include the construction of footpaths throughout the residential precinct, including Nelson Street, Bourke Street, Bond Street, Browns Avenue, Churchill Street, Montgomery Street, Sherbrook Avenue and Burwood Avenue. These footpaths were constructed through development contributions and will assist in creating an accessible environment that encourages sustainable forms of transport, such as walking.

The redevelopment of Eastland and the creation of a new town square for Ringwood is expected to begin at the start of next year and will restore a civic heart to Ringwood through delivering new public open space and a new library and community complex.

The creation of a forecourt and bus interchange for Ringwood Station is expected through State Government funding of $39 million. This work is expected to begin either late this year or early next year.

While this funding will improve the appearance of Ringwood Station and make it easier for pedestrians to access the transport interchange, it will not improve the accessibility of the station itself, meaning that further work is required to ensure that the standards meets the needs of people with disabilities.

It is imperative that State Government funding is received for these further works to create an accessible, safe and integrated transport interchange.

The major challenge facing both Ringwood and the North Ringwood Community House is the need to deliver new community services within Ringwood while still providing facilities for the Ringwood North community. In this regard a proposed location for the community house will need to retain its connection to Ringwood North while being accessible to the Ringwood community.

The feasibility study which is designed to identify potential sites will explore this criteria to ensure that the most suitable location is found.

I look forward to my continued involvement in the North Ringwood Community House as we advance the aims of providing a community focus for the Ringwood and Ringwood North communities.

For further information on North Ringwood Community House please visit www.nrchi.com.

Disability Action Group – community based advocacy for people with a disability

Posted on by alex

The Disability Action Group Eastern Region is a community based advocacy group for people with disabilities. The group meets on a monthly basis to discuss accessibility issues and focuses on the needs of Maroondah and the outer eastern suburbs.

Today’s meeting provided further discussion around Council’s Disability Policy and Action Plan, with the group supporting the development of a Disability Advisory Committee.

A Disability Advisory Committee would provide strategic advice to council on matters relating to accessibility and would complement the quarterly forum for people with disabilities.

At the last council meeting of last year, I successfully passed a resolution calling on council to investigate the establishment of a Disability Advisory Committee. Council is currently discussing this proposal with the community to gain further insights into the needs of people with disabilities.

The next meeting of the Disability Action Group Eastern Region will be held on Monday the 6th of April from 1pm at Room Four in Federation Estate. This meeting will include a formal discussion on the proposed Disability Advisory Committee with the feedback being considered by council.

Submission – Maroondah bus service reviews

Posted on by alex

The State Government is currently reviewing bus services across Maroondah, Knox and the Shire of Yarra Ranges and has called for submissions into the bus network within these municipalities.

The initial deadline for submissions was Friday the 27th of February but this has now been extended until Friday the 3rd of April, since several workshops within the Yarra Ranges have needed to be rescheduled due to the bushfires.

I have completed a submission in regard to bus services within Maroondah, focusing on the need to rectify gaps in coverage, as well as increased frequencies and operating spans.

The City of Maroondah, with a residential population of approximately 100,000 residents, is located in Melbourne’s outer east, 25 kilometres east of the Melbourne CBD.

The City of Maroondah includes the activity centres of Ringwood and Croydon, with Ringwood identified as a Transit City and Central Activity District. State Government planning and transport policies have acknowledged the need for public transport to underpin the designated Central Activity Districts.

Accessibility is of critical importance within Maroondah, since the municipality has one of the highest proportions of people with a disability. As such infrastructure, in the form of bus stops and vehicles need to be accessible so that they can be used by people with a range of mobility aids and disabilities.

Likewise service levels need to be of a standard that does not restrict the mobility of people that are reliant on public transport services and takes into account the urban revitalisation that is being encouraged within Ringwood and Croydon.

Specially, the submission calls for a new bus route along Canterbury Road from Ringwood to Box Hill, and a new route along Mount Dandenong Road providing a direct connection between Ringwood, the Karralyka Centre, Maroondah Hospital and the associated medical precinct.

In addition there is a need for localised services through Warranwood, where houses reside beyond reasonable walking distance to bus services.

The success of the Ringwood to Frankston SmartBus, where patronage has increased by up to 80% due to increased frequencies and service spans, demonstrates that public transport will be utilised if services are direct, frequent, readily available and accessible.

Bus services that travel along Maroondah’s main roads, should have a level of service comparable to the SmartBus network to deliver a comprehensive public transport system within Maroondah.

Lastly there is need for comprehensive bus route reform to ensure that Maroondah’s main thoroughfares are serviced by frequent public transport routes. Localised services could operate in residential areas and connect to these main routes. Such reform will provide efficiency savings on the bus network and will also lessen confusion over bus routes and minimise travel times.

To view the full report, please read my submission made to the bus services review for Maroondah.

Maroondah Forum for People with Disabilities and Carers – first forum for 2009

Posted on by alex

The first Maroondah Forum for People with Carers of this year was held this morning at Maroondah Federation Estate.

The forum enables council to hear first-hand about accessibility issues within Maroondah and includes regular guest speakers to provide information to participants.

Today’s forum included an update on Maroondah’s new electronic request system, which will enable easier identification and tracking of resident queries and hence improve the responsiveness of council.

The main presentation was in regard to State Trustees, which is a government owned entity that provides will preparation, trusteeships and financial administration. The service can provide assistance for people with disabilities in managing finances and arranging for appropriate care if it is required.

The forum aims to provide ongoing communication and dialogue with participants to assist in creating an accessible municipality.

Maroondah Disability Action Group meeting

Posted on by alex

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 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 workshop on bus services

Posted on by alex

The State Government will shortly be undertaking a review of bus services across Maroondah, Yarra Ranges and Knox. These reviews, which have been progressively undertaken across Metropolitan Melbourne, provide an opportunity to highlight gaps in network coverage, as well as routes requiring service improvements or re-routing.

This evening Maroondah hosted a public workshop to provide an opportunity to hear the community’s views on bus services within the municipality.

This feedback will assist council in presenting the community’s views to the State Government’s bus review process with the aim of ensuring better public transport services across the municipality.

The need to improve connectivity between bus routes, as well as with the train network, featured prominently during the discussions, as did the need for more frequency and operating span improvements.

Accessibility improvements are also required including additional low-floor buses and improvements to bus shelters.

Ultimately bus routes should be re-routed so that Maroondah’s main roads are provided with direct, frequent and readily available bus routes. These routes would operate as a principal bus network that would assist in making public transport competitive with car travel. Outside these main routes, localised bus services would operate to connect people to the principal network.

A two-tiered bus network would enhance the mobility of our community through providing an integrated and efficient public transport network.

The State Government’s Workshop on bus services will be held on Thursday the 19th of February from 6:30 pm at the Ringwood RSL. The feedback council received from tonight will shape Maroondah’s submission into the bus review process.

Eastern Transport Coalition Presentation on Train and Tram Refranchising

Posted on by alex

As the Deputy Chair of the Eastern Transport Coalition I was invited to present the ETC’s views on the re-franchising arrangements for the rail and tram network. The presentation provided an opportunity to highlight the needs of Melbourne’s outer suburban residents and opportunities that can be pursued through the new franchise arrangements for more a frequent, reliable and accessible public transport system.

The Eastern Transport Coalition (ETC) as a regional body representing one million residents within its seven outer eastern councils is well positioned to understand the requirements of its communities and to demonstrate the need for efficient public transport operations.

The survey data compiled by the Australian Research Group for the ETC clearly demonstrates that residents of Melbourne’s outer east would be more than willing to use public transport if services are frequent, readily available and easy to understand.

In particular the ETC believes that there is considerable scope to improve off-peak and interpeak services, as a way of shifting travel demand and mitigate worsening overcrowding during peak times. Frequency of service is a key driver to attracting passengers onto public transport at times other than peak periods. Likewise there should also be the opportunity for express services outside the traditional peak periods.

More frequent services will also assist in delivering a more reliable system since it will assist in more evenly distributing demand across the network. Likewise all rail lines should operate at a consistent service frequency and operating span to provide consistency across the network.

While bus services are outside the scope of the train and tram re-franchising proposals there is a need to improve coordination across the entire public transport system, as such the new franchising arrangements must trigger a review of connecting bus services whenever there is a modification of rail and tram timetables. Bus services generally require at least a three month lead-time to implement changes and ample time is provided so that all modes can operate in a coordinated manner.

Accessibility is also a critical factor with the State Government failing to meet targets for disability compliance on the rail network. There would be a considerable opportunity to provide the franchisee with the scope to redevelop nominated stations in exchange for commercial rights. This would provide the operator with an incentive to modernise Melbourne’s rail stations through the creation of mixed use transit hubs and also ensure higher cleanliness and safety standards.

Likewise it is also critical that the new franchise arrangements include scope to extend the rail network, such as the much needed rail extensions to Rowville and Doncaster and the tram extensions that are required to Knox and Doncaster Hill.

Local Government both individually and collectively as a region would welcome the opportunity to engage the new rail and tram operators so that services meet the needs of our community. As an example, we have actively engaged Connex through the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee, which has led to the reduction of vandalism along Maroondah’s rail network. Public transport is critical to the mobility of our communities and local government should be actively engaged over initiatives and timetable changes.

The new franchise arrangements for the train and tram network will begin on the 1st of December of this year. It is imperative that the new agreements assist in delivering a service that meets the needs of our community.

2009 Australia Day Awards and Citizenship Ceremony

Posted on by alex

To commemorate Australia Day the City of Maroondah holds a citizenship ceremony as well as acknowledging the recipients and nominees for Maroondah’s Australia Day Awards.

The Australia Day Awards include three categories, citizen of the year, young citizen of the year and community event of the year. This year’s successful nominees were focused on social inclusion and accessibility, with Monkami’s Titanic Resunk performance and Jenny Newman from the Parent Support Network among the successful nominees.

The Australia Day Awards provide an opportunity to recognise the many people and groups that exist within Maroondah and the hard work they undertake within the community. It is always encouraging to see such a strong community interest within Maroondah.

Maroondah Leader: Cash makes a splash

Posted on by alex

In November last year the Commonwealth Government convened the inaugural meeting of the Australian Council of Local Government, designed to create stronger partnerships between the Federal Government and local councils across Australia.

The inaugural meeting included additional funding to local governments to undertake projects that improve council facilities which serve the community.

The Maroondah Leader has reported on the program and Maroondah Council’s allocation of $620,000, which will be invested into projects at Jubilee Park and the Ringwood Aquatic Centre.

Councillor Alex Makin, whose Mullum Ward takes in both Jubilee Park and Ringwood Aquatic Centre, said the money was a significant boon for local infrastructure.

This partnership between Federal and Local Governments will enable councils to improve their local community infrastructure. Maroondah Council discussed the funding at the December 10th Council meeting and agreed to allocate the grant to the following projects:

  • Installation of a co-generation plant at Ringwood Aquatic Centre ($250,000)
  • Replacement of the pool filtration system for the outdoor pools at Ringwood Aquatic Centre ($75,000)
  • Refurbishment of grandstand seating and access arrangements for the Ringwood Soccer Stadium at Jubilee Park, Ringwood ($295,000)

The refurbishment of the grandstand will improve accessibility and provide much needed upgrades to council’s soccer facilities. These works further reinforces the significance of the Jubilee Park sporting precinct, which also recently received a $300,000 State Government grant for a synthetic pitch.

“The two projects at Ringwood Aquatic Centre enable council to reduce its greenhouse emissions at the same time as it invests in sustainability,” Cr Makin said.

In addition, the co-generation plant at Ringwood Aquatic and the new pool filtration system will reduce council’s energy and water consumption, improving the sustainability of council facilities and reducing our impact on the environment.

The three projects will be completed by September this year and demonstrates how quickly community projects can be undertaken when there is a constructive partnership across governments.

The Commonwealth Government is to be commended for its recognition of local government and the importance in working with local councils to deliver community infrastructure. I look forward to the continuation of this program.