council events Archives

Morning Tea for Maroondah’s School Crossing Supervisors

Posted on 19 November 2010 by alex

One of the services Maroondah City Council provides is crossing supervisors who ensure that schoolchildren are able to cross roads safely near schools. Each year the Maroondah City Council holds a morning tea to thank our crossing supervisors and the work that they undertake.

Some of Maroondah’s longest serving employees are crossing supervisors and the morning tea ensures that we are able to acknowledge the service they provide for the community. As Mayor, I spoke at the function to publicly acknowledge the dedication of the supervisors and discussed my own experiences and appreciation that I had for crossing supervisors during my time at both Marlborough Primary and Luther College.

While the school year is shortly drawing to a close our crossing supervisors will be returning for the new school year in 2011.

Remembrance Day Services at Croydon RSL

Posted on 11 November 2010 by alex

The 11th of November is Remembrance Day, with Australians pausing at 11am to reflect and remember casualties caused during war. The Ringwood and Croydon RSL both hold Remembrance Day services, and this year I attended the Croydon service at James Stevens Lawn, outside the Croydon Civic Centre.

The Croydon RSL, which organises the Croydon services, has a strong focus on community involvement through the inclusion of local schools and the community. It is encouraging to see increased attendees each year at Remembrance Day and the ongoing focus Croydon RSL has on the wider community.

Media Release: Maroondah Festival bigger and better than ever

Posted on 8 November 2010 by alex

This year’s Maroondah Festival was a huge success, with seven hours of entertainment enjoyed by the Maroondah community on Sunday 7 November at Town Park in Croydon.

Maroondah Mayor Councillor Alex Makin said the threat of stormy weather wasn’t enough to the keep more than 30,000 people from attending the 21st Maroondah Festival. In fact the sun was shining for most of the day.

“The Maroondah Festival is one of the eastern suburbs’ largest free community events and this is due to the community spirit that brings out all that is good about Maroondah on this wonderful day,” Cr Makin said.

“On behalf of Council and the festival organisers, I would like to thank our sponsors, including major sponsor Ringwood Honda, exhibitors, performers, site holders and Council staff for their commitment and support in making this day such a great success,” Cr Makin said.

“It was very pleasing to see that crowd numbers were very high, with the local community enjoying the many activities and events available all day. This annual free event has become an integral part of Maroondah’s identity. I know many people look forward to this event and I am proud to say that it just keeps getting better every year,” Cr Makin said.

Many of Council’s services and facilities were represented at the festival, including the proposed Maroondah Aquatic and Leisure Centre.

“The expo gave festival visitors an opportunity to find out more about the proposed facility which includes the proposed state diving centre. The centre would provide Ringwood Diving Club and other diving clubs with a state-of-the-art training facility,” Cr Makin said.

“Leisure experts, representatives from Ringwood Diving Club and Council representatives were on hand at the festival to answer any questions people had about the proposed facility,” Cr Makin said.

“We had hundreds of people through the expo viewing the images and concept plans of the proposed facilities, with many taking the time to fill-out feedback forms on their thoughts of the proposed facility,” Cr Makin said.

“Next to the proposed Maroondah Aquatic and Leisure Centre expo Ringwood Diving Club members had their own interactive display at the festival, complete with divers performing on a portable springboard, mini trampoline and kinder dive activities,” Cr Makin said.

“Four time Olympic diver Jenny Donnet visited both the Ringwood Diving Club and Maroondah Aquatic and Leisure Centre displays during the festival. Jenny, a local Ringwood resident, was extremely supportive of the proposed facility saying diving clubs, elite and developing divers would benefit greatly from having access to the proposed dry diving training facility and the FINA standard 10 metre diving tower and pool,” Cr Makin said.

Jenny also took the time to fill out a feedback form, commenting that the proposed facility would “change the face of diving” in Australia.

“The proposed state diving centre is still subject to significant state and federal government funding, but with state-of-the-art facilities like these we could see more and more Victorian-based divers competing at an international level,” Cr Makin said.

Festival visitors also used the opportunity to sign Council’s petition calling for an upgrade to Ringwood Station in the term of the next government.

“We have secured a commitment from the Liberal party and Greens to upgrade Ringwood Station within the term of the next government and Council is now awaiting on a commitment from the Labor Party to the upgrade of Ringwood Station,” Cr Makin said.

“To date Council has collected close to 3000 signatures on the petition. We thank the community for their support and urge those who haven’t yet signed the petition to do so via council’s website or at a Service Centre,” Cr Makin said.

Some of the exciting features of the 2010 Maroondah Festival included:

Kids Kingdom was packed with free rides, interactive games and craft activities.
Anaconda Fun and Fitness Arena with activities, organised games, interactive workshops and demonstrations presented by local sporting clubs. There was also the 7.3 metre climbing pinnacle, tennis serve radar and Panna Football competition.
Bankwest Main stage arena featured a feast of musical performances from some of Melbourne’s finest artists including Electric Empire.
The Sustainability Area offered workshops hosted by Channel 31’s garden guru Vasili Kanidiadis.
Denso Community Expo showcased the many community groups and service providers in Maroondah. The expo included a community stage which featured performances by local groups.

“Maroondah Festival was a great day out for all the family. Planning is already under way to make sure next year’s event is even bigger and better,” Cr Makin said.

The Maroondah Festival was proudly presented by Maroondah City Council and sponsored by Ringwood Honda.

– ENDS –

2010 Maroondah Festival

Posted on 7 November 2010 by alex

The Maroondah Festival is one of the largest community events within Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, attracting approximately 30,000 attendees and featuring dedicated community, business, sustainability, fitness, teenagers and children.

The weather remained largely pleasant throughout the day, providing a contrast to the hot weather experienced in previous years. The new location at Town Park also provides additional shade and ensures that activities are closer together making the festival easier to attend.

As the Mayor I delivered the opening speech for the Maroondah Festival, welcoming community members and highlights the partners that assisted in delivering the event:

Alex at the opening of the 2010 Maroondah Festival.

On behalf of the Maroondah City Council I would like to welcome everyone to the 2010 Maroondah Festival.

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.

This year marks the 21st anniversary of this wonderful community event and we invite you and your families enjoy the beautiful sunshine and take part in the huge array of activities available here today, including some fresh new initiatives and of course the old favourites.

I would especially like to extend a warm welcome to Ringwood Honda as the principal sponsor of the 2010 Maroondah Festival. Be sure to visit the Ringwood Honda stand next to the Information tent to collect your free Honda merchandise and check out the latest range of Honda vehicles on display. There will also be an opportunity to talk to the friendly staff from Ringwood Honda and enter the draw to win some fantastic prizes including a Honda lawn mower valued at over $800.

At the Festival today, over 150 local groups and businesses have come together to provide information on their networks, goods and services. With their continued support, the Maroondah Festival has grown to become the most well supported community Festival in Melbourne’s east.

I invite everyone to visit the Denso Australia Group – Community Expo today and learn more about the valuable work undertaken by our fantastic local community groups.

We are also fortunate that we have many businesses in our municipality who support the Maroondah Festival. I would like to thank the following businesses for their generous sponsorship at this year’s festival:

Ringwood Honda: The principal sponsor of the Maroondah Festival
Bankwest – sponsor of the Main Stage
Denso Australia Group – sponsor of the Community Expo
Maroondah Weekly – our media partner
Anaconda – sponsor of the Fun and Fitness Arena
Ventura – sponsor of the Park n Ride service
Jalna – sponsor of the Fun and Fitness Walk breakfast

An event the size of Maroondah Festival requires a lot of planning and hard work and I would especially like to extend a huge thank you to all of the volunteers and staff assembled here today. In particular I would like to acknowledge the assistance of St John Ambulance and Victoria Police, and I would also like to thank the staff of Maroondah City Council and Fruitbowl Productions.

I hope that you enjoy the rest of the day, visit the Festival Information tent to find out about the huge array of activities on offer and be sure to take advantage of the free sunscreen.

Thank you all for being part of this fantastic event and celebrating our wonderful Maroondah community.

I would now like to welcome to the stage, the Yarra Valley School band.

Media Release: Mayor Art Show highlights local talent

Posted on 3 November 2010 by alex

The 2010 Maroondah Mayoral Art Show will be on display at the Maroondah Art Gallery from 11 November to 11 December.

Maroondah Mayor Councillor Alex Makin said the exhibition, now in its 14th year would feature works by some of Melbourne’s best known artists.

“To be featured in the exhibition each artist was asked to make a donation with all funds raised to be donated to the Bone Marrow Donor Institute – Croydon Branch to support further research into leukaemia,” Cr Makin said.

“It is great to be able to give our local artists an opportunity to share their works with the community, while also knowing that visiting the exhibition you are also helping to support a worthwhile cause,” Cr Makin said.

The Mayoral Art Show is sponsored by East Ringwood Bendigo Bank.

The exhibition will be officially opened by Maroondah Mayor Councillor Alex Makin at 6.30pm, Thursday 11 November.

The Mayoral Art Show is on at Maroondah Art Gallery, Maroondah Federation Estate, 32 Greenwood Ave, Ringwood. The gallery has extended its opening hours especially for the exhibition, and is now open Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm and Saturday 12 noon to 4pm.

For more information please contact the Team Leader Arts & Cultural Services, Susan Ryan on 9298 4536.

– ENDS –

Launch of the Eastern Region Family Help Cards

Posted on 28 October 2010 by alex

Community Safety Month is held throughout October to promote safer communities. Councils across the Eastern Region worked together to promote community safety, including the prevention of family violence.

This afternoon I attended the launch of the Eastern Region Family Violence Help Cards, which are pocket sized cards containing information on services available to assist victims of family violence. The launch, which was conducted in the City of Whitehorse, emphasised ongoing concerns over the rate of family violence, which is a problem often hidden from the wider community.

The cards contain important information on the resources that are available to assist in family violence situations. The cards, which are available for both men and women, are available through the Cities of Boroondara, Knox, Manningham, Maroondah, Monash, Whitehorse and the Shire of Yarra Ranges.

2010 Youth Volunteer Recognition Evening

Posted on 21 October 2010 by alex

The Maroondah Youth Volunteer Recognition Evening provides an opportunity to acknowledge the efforts younger people make through volunteering within their communities. Tonight’s function reinforces the strength of volunteering that exists within Maroondah and highlights the positive work that younger people undertake in a voluntary capacity.

Volunteering not only benefits the community but can also provide educational and employment pathways through the development of new skills and experience. There are a range of volunteer opportunities and I encourage younger people to look at how they can become involved in the community.

The speech provided during the recognition evening is available within this entry:

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.

Good Evening and welcome to EV’s Youth Centre for Maroondah City Council’s Annual Youth Volunteer Recognition Evening. I am very pleased to be here tonight to take part in an evening that celebrates Maroondah’s young people.

Council’s Youth Volunteer Recognition Evening is held in recognition and appreciation of the outstanding contribution made by young volunteers and leaders in the Maroondah Community.

As I look around the room tonight, I see a number of inspirational young leaders and volunteers from the Maroondah Community. The dedication these young people have shown towards their volunteer work is inspiring and has helped brighten so many lives around them.

Each nominee should be very proud of their volunteer work and that an individual from their relevant school, agency or organisation has acknowledged their efforts by nominating them for tonight’s award ceremony.

On behalf of Maroondah City Council and our local residents, I would like to thank and congratulate all the nominees for their dedication and commitment to their work. Volunteering is something that often goes unnoticed, but the value it gives to our community is immeasurable. It improves the lives of so many and should be celebrated and recognised. It is young people like yourselves that build strong community to make Maroondah such a fantastic place to live.

I would also like to thank the representatives from schools, church groups, service clubs and various organisations for their efforts in assisting young people achieve their goals through volunteering. A special mention to the individuals who took time out of their busy schedules to assist with the nominations. With your support, Maroondah City Council is able to formally recognise the contributions of the young people here tonight.

Thank you also to Council’s Youth Services Team; for your hard work in putting this event together. Tonight is one of many great events and programs run by Council’s Youth Services Team, so be sure to speak with a team member if you would like any further information. We shall now commence the presentation of these well deserved awards.

Media Release: Help cards tackle issue of family violence

Posted on 13 October 2010 by alex

As part of Community Safety Month Maroondah City Council has joined forces with other Councils in the eastern metropolitan region to address the growing concern of domestic violence.

Maroondah Councillor Alex Makin said later this month Eastern Region Family Violence Help Cards would be distributed in the hope of better supporting victims of family violence.

“The support cards are designed to support families experiencing any form of family violence. The gender specific cards provide definitions, tips for dealing with situations and helpful contact information for services locally and across the Eastern Region,” Cr Makin said.

“The wallet size cards will be distributed across the region and will provide details on how people can discretely seek support if they are experiencing any form of family violence,” Cr Makin said.

“By uniting with the other Councils in the eastern region we are showing a clear and consistent message that family violence is not okay,” Cr Makin said.

The cards will be launched on October 28 in Nunawading.

“The launch will feature some key note speakers including White Ribbon Day Ambassador Nick Mazzarella, family violence survivor Robyn O’Sullivan and Victoria Police Eastern Region Assistant Commissioner Wendy Steendam,” Cr Makin said.

“The Doncare SasSing Choir (Survivors and Supporter’s Sing), made up of woman who have escaped family violence or those who support the cause will also perform,” Cr Makin said.

The Eastern Region Family Violence Help Cards will be launched on October 28, from 2-4pm in the Warratah Room, Whitehorse Centre, 379-397 Whitehorse Rd, Nunawading.

– ENDS –

The Maroondah Seniors Festival Expo

Posted on 13 October 2010 by alex

The Seniors Festival is held from the 3rd of October through to the 10th and Maroondah holds a range of activities for seniors throughout the festival.

The Seniors Festival is designed to empower seniors and to highlight the activities and groups that focus on the needs of senior residents. This morning I had the pleasure of launching Maroondah’s Seniors Expo, an information day held at Eastland and supported by many of the senior based groups within the municipality.

The speech I provided is available within this entry:

Continue reading “The Maroondah Seniors Festival Expo”