community space Archives

The Ringwood Chamber of Commerce – February meeting

Posted on 8 February 2011 by alex

The Ringwood Chamber of Commerce and Industry is Ringwood’s main trader group, representing its members on matters relating to commerce in Ringwood.

Tonight’s meeting included an update on development projects within Ringwood, including the long awaited redevelopment of Eastland. While some commercial development is taking place, the catalyst for Ringwood’s transformation will occur with the next stage of the Eastland redevelopment and the transformation of Ringwood Station into an accessible, integrated and safe transport interchange.

Over the past year Maroondah Council undertook considerable work to deliver community infrastructure within the centre of Ringwood. This includes two new playgrounds, as well as a community hub, which will provide new community space and library facilities.

The revitalisation of Ringwood must be accompanied with community facilities that create a sense of place and strengthen the level of community.

Furthermore, while the new State Government has committed to redeveloping Ringwood Station in its entirety from 2014 it is imperative that works on the station forecourt are also included to create new public realms and improve the amenity of Ringwood.

Launch of Brush Strokes Exhibition from the Croydon Stroke Support Group

Posted on 14 September 2010 by alex

The Croydon Stroke Support Group provides peer support to people with stroke and their carers. The group has a strong emphasis on social inclusion and provides a range of art based programs to restore confidence to people with stroke.

This morning I was invited to open the Croydon Stroke Support Group’s Brush Stroke exhibition, which is being exhibited at Maroondah Federation Estate in Greenwood Avenue in Ringwood. Brush Strokes, includes a range of mediums, including photography, sculpture and painting, some of which were collaborative pieces made by several members of the group.

Brush Strokes is the inaugural exhibition to be held in the Long Gallery, within the former school building of Ringwood Primary. The building, which is now used for community space will complement the existing cultural focus of Maroondah Federation Estate, providing additional space for the arts within Maroondah.

In addition, I had the pleasure of launching Left of Tomorrow, a book by Wendy Lyons, a person with stroke and a member of the Croydon Stroke Support Group. Wendy’s book details her experiences with stroke and the challenges she faced.

The Croydon Stroke Support Group has a strong focus on the arts and the restoring of confidence for people with stroke. In addition to photography, painting and sculpture, the group has also initiated a choir to provide people with stroke the ability to sing and regain their voices.

The Croydon Stroke Support Group meets each Thursday on a weekly basis, for details please visit www.strokeassociation.com.au/CroydonSSG.htm

Ringwood U3A – 25th Birthday Celebrations

Posted on 15 May 2010 by alex

Universities of the Third Age (U3A) are a global movement which provides education and life-long learning for retirees. The concept of U3As began in France in 1972 and spread quickly throughout the World, including Australia. Thirty years ago, Ringwood became the home to one of the very first U3As within Victoria, based at Norwood Hall along Warrandyte Road in Ringwood North.

This afternoon I attended a luncheon to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Ringwood U3A, where past and current members reflected on the past thirty years and the ongoing interest in U3As. Twenty-five years ago U3As were a new and novel concept and the establishment of Ringwood’s U3A was the result of determination and ongoing support from several founding members. This dedication has delivered results, with the Ringwood U3A flourishing and offering a wide variety of courses to cater to a diverse range of interests.

Alex with the Member for Deakin, Mike Symon and U3A members at the 25th birthday celebrations for Ringwood U3A.

As part of the proceedings I was invited to speak at the celebrations, where I reiterated the importance of life-long education and congratulated the many people involved in their ongoing support to the Ringwood U3A. I also discussed the future opportunities that may exist through Council’s assessment of community facilities. This assessment will assist in providing information on available community space, assisting community groups in finding locations for their activities.

In addition, Maroondah Council is currently conducting an assessment of Norwood Hall, prompted by the desired relocation of North Ringwood Community House and this will provide an opportunity to explore options to better cater for the needs of the existing groups at Norwood Hall.

Alex presenting a certificate of appreciation recognising the assistance provided towards Ringwood U3A.

Community organisations like the Ringwood U3A provide new opportunities for seniors, as well as reducing social isolation and promoting active participation within our community. I look forward to seeing many years of future success for the Ringwood U3A.

Tour of library facilities

Posted on 14 May 2010 by alex

Part of the vision for the Ringwood Central Activities District is a new Library as part of the town centre, which will provide an opportunity to create new community and civic space within the centre of Ringwood. Several Libraries have been redeveloped over the past few years and as a result I joined the Council in a tour of other facilities to explore the options that may exist for Ringwood.

The tour included the Hume Global Learning Centre and the Watergardens Library, both of which were redeveloped within their respective town centres. The Hume Global Learning Centre provides a range of community facilities, including meeting space, computer rooms, as well as council service areas and the Library. The Centre is impressive and demonstrates the positive outcomes that can be achieved through integrating a Library with civic space. The Centre hosts a range of community activities and is highly utilised as a result.

Watergardens Library was redeveloped as part of the extension to Watergardens Shopping Centre and includes an open layout with computer facilities and dedicated learning and meeting areas. Like Hume, the Library is well utilised and fulfils a role in providing meeting space for the community.

Both Centres provided valuable feedback in regard to the possibilities that exist for Ringwood. The redevelopment of the Ringwood Library will be accompanied with a new town square and it is imperative that Council takes this opportunity to deliver new community space for Ringwood during this time.

Launching The Vault – Community Drop In Centre

Posted on 24 April 2010 by alex

The Vault is a community based Drop In Centre located in Ringwood and is operated through the Activate Church.. The centre has an emphasis on younger people and aims to create a safe and friendly community space with a range activities.

As the Mayor of Maroondah I had the pleasure of officially opening The Vault, where I acknowledged the partnerships that have been formed with Council, the community, businesses and the Police to assist in providing a safer environment for Ringwood.

Alex officially opening The Vault - Community Drop In Centre in Ringwood

The Vault gains its name from being located within the building of a former bank, whereby hours of work were undertaken to create a friendly and safe atmosphere for participants. The activities will be run entirely through volunteers and plans are already underway to expand the services provided through the Vault, including food relief and Internet access.

The Vault officially opens from 10am on Tuesday the 27th of April and is located in the Melbourne Street Mall in Ringwood, opposite Ringwood Station.

U3A Croydon Annual General Meeting

Posted on 26 March 2010 by alex

The University of the Third Age (U3A) is a community based organisation that provides educational opportunities to retirees and seniors. Maroondah has two local U3A organisations, with one in Ringwood and in Croydon, these two groups are part of the U3A Network Victoria, which includes other U3As across the State.

This morning I was invited to to be the guest speaker at U3A Croydon Annual General Meeting. U3A Croydon has over 600 members and provides a range of courses, including languages, literature, history, computer studies and handicrafts. The organisation is embarking on developing a business plan to provide a cohesive direction for the future and this demonstrates the professionalism and foresight of its committee and members.

Given that U3A Croydon is a growing organisation, one of their concerns is the ongoing need for community space. As the guest speaker I discussed Council’s current work on assessing community needs, which will assist in identifying potential venues and meeting places for community organisations. This project is expected to be completed towards the end of this year and will provide a centralised resource to locate community venues, making it easier for groups to plan ahead.

Like many other people in our community, the members of U3A Croydon are also concerned about the condition of Ringwood Station and several members raised questions in regard to the lack of easy access in using the Station. While the majority of its members are located in Croydon, it is clear that an issue like Ringwood Station affects the entire municipality, reinforcing the need for further funding to create a safe, integrated and accessible transport interchange.

While the core focus of U3A is education, it is important to recognise how the group assists in providing a social outlet for its members and peer support. The U3A model encourages collaboration between teachers and students to create a dynamic and stimulating learning environment and it is clear from the attendees at the AGM, that U3A Croydon is achieving this objective.

For further details on U3A Croydon please visit home.vicnet.net.au/~unita/index.htm

Opening of the Glen Park Men’s Shed

Posted on 19 March 2010 by alex

Glen Park Community Centre is located in Bayswater North and has a strong emphasis on community development and empowerment. The Centre undertakes a range of community development activities, including a community cafe and programs for people with disabilities.

One of the projects identified by Glen Park was the need for a Men’s Shed to provide a friendly and social atmosphere for men to participate in trades and woodcraft.

As a result, the need for a Men’s Shed became a priority for Glen Park and this afternoon I was invited to open the Shed, a project that received State and Council funding, as well as in-kind support from members of the Glen Park Community Centre.

Alex opening the Glen Park Men's Shed with Shaun Leane, Member for Eastern Metropolitan Region.

The speech delivered during the opening is available within this post:

Continue reading “Opening of the Glen Park Men’s Shed”

Wellbeing of the Sudanese Community within Maroondah

Posted on 7 February 2010 by alex

The City of Maroondah is home to many Sudanese refugees, who settled within the municipality to start a new life within Australia. While many community organisations and facilities have welcomed the Sudanese community, they have experienced some ongoing difficulties in securing employment and housing.

This afternoon I attended a public meeting convened by the Maroondah Southern Sudanese Christian Welfare Association to discuss the ongoing difficulties faced by this community.

I was joined by the majority of my Council colleagues, as well as several State Members, so that we could hear first-hand the difficulties the Sudanese community is facing. While one of the challenges, in regard to community space, will hopefully be resolved through partnering with community houses, the challenge of affordable housing and employment, is more difficult to resolve.

All levels of government need to work together to ensure that our emerging communities are able to establish a sustainable and ongoing future within Maroondah. I will be discussing these concerns with State and Federal Members so that we can work towards some positive outcomes for the Sudanese community.