Tag: eastern suburbs

Speaking to the Rotary Club of Warrandyte Donvale

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Australia is home to a large number of Rotary Clubs, which are organised into geographically defined districts. The eastern and south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne are situated within Rotary District 9810, which extends from Port Philip Bay through to Dandenong Ranges and beyond.

This evening I spoke to the Rotary Club of Warrandyte Donvale, discussing my Council, Community and business background. I had been assisting the Club in the formation of their new website, designed to create a dynamic web presence for the Club.

The Rotary Club of Warrandyte Donvale has unveiled its website to coincide with the launch of its Art Show, a major project undertaken by the Club. The website has enabled the Club to easily maintain content on the site and to add new information as required.

In addition, the website enables an on-line registration process for artists entering the Art Show. This removes the need to manually enter data, reducing duplication, as well as preventing errors that can occur when manually typing data from forms.

Furthermore, the automation of the on-line system means that time provided by the Club’s volunteers can be utilised on other activities, rather than spending time manually entering data. Volunteers often have time constraints and it is important that their time is valued and utilised productively.

I commend the Rotary Club of Warrandyte Donvale for utilising the Internet to improve the operations of the Club and to promote their activities.

Media Release: Maroondah Festival bigger and better than ever

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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 Regional Adult Community Education Awards

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The Regional Adult Community Education Awards is a new initiative from the Adult and Community Further Education (ACFE) board to recognise excellence within community houses and learning centres in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

This evening I attended the inaugural awards which were held in the City of Whitehorse. While ACFE hosts State-wide awards for the adult education sector, the regional awards are designed to highlight local success stories. As a result, these awards provide an opportunity to highlight local success stories in adult education and to provide recognition to community houses, students and tutors.

Melbourne’s eastern suburbs are fortunate to have a number of community houses and learning centres, providing educational opportunities for adults and tailored learning for people with disabilities. It is fantastic to see ongoing excellence and innovation with community houses and I look forward to the ongoing involvement of Maroondah’s community houses within these awards.

Eastern Transport Coalition – State Candidates Forum at Maroondah

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The Eastern Transport Coalition is a council initiated advocacy group, covering Melbourne’s seven outer eastern Councils; Greater Dandenong, Knox, Manningham, Maroondah, Monash Whitehorse and the Shire of Yarra Ranges.

As part of its advocacy campaign, the Eastern Transport Coalition is holding a series of candidate forums, throughout each of the member councils. The evening was attended by representatives of each of the three major parties, the Australian Labor Party, the Victorian Liberal Party and the Victorian Greens.

I provided the introduction to tonight’s forum to highlight the current public transport deficiencies within Maroondah. The speech is available within this entry:

Welcome candidates and the community to the Maroondah City Council Eastern Transport Coalition Public Transport Forum.

Maroondah City Council, in the spirit of reconciliation, acknowledges that we are meeting on the 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 are fortunate tonight to have secured Mr Clay Lucas as our independent moderator. Clay may be well known to some of you as he is part of The Age’s city team having worked The Age and The Sunday Age since 2005 as a city reporter. This role sees Clay reporting on a range of topics across the transport sector, including roads, public transport, planning and development. In 2009 Clay won a Quill for transport reporting with Age investigative reporter Royce Millar.

Before I hand over to Clay to get the evening underway I just want to provide a quick overview of the public transport issues that Maroondah sees as important to the community and help set the context of public transport in the east.

Regional Perspective

The eastern region is an established area experiencing significant economic and population growth.
This growth is mainly occurring through infill and consolidation of existing residential, commercial and employment areas.

The network is struggling to keep up with demand and provide services that the community require to carry out their day to day activities as viable alternatives to the motor vehicle.

The Victorian Transport Plan – Does not deliver for the east

To keep pace with the population and economic growth the current public transport system needs to expand.

The Victorian Transport Plan does not adequately consider or respond to the needs of the East and greater investment is still required, if the eastern suburbs are to continue to be liveable and met the State’s land use and transport plans as outlined in Melbourne @ 5 million.

The high household car ownership in the City of Maroondah is evidence of the public transport systems inability to provide a service that allows our community to undertake their daily activities. The ETC and Maroondah City Council call on the government for the development of a long term regional public transport strategy for the Eastern region.

Ringwood Station Upgrade

Ringwood is identified as one of six Central Activity Districts which will offer CBD type services in suburban locations. In recent MTF public survey, Ringwood Station was voted as Melbourne’s second worse station, after Richmond.

The current Ringwood Station is difficult to access with steep ramps to station platforms that fail the State Government’s Disability Discrimination Act requirements.

The footpath access from each side of the station is not safe, particularly for people in wheel chairs and there is not direct wheel chair access to the car park which is located at the bottom of a steep stairway.
There has been no significant upgrade to the station in more than 50 years and it is desperately needing to be modernised.

For Ringwood Station to be truly accessible to all and permit convenient transferring between transport services, it is imperative that it is clean, comfortable, accessible and safe and secure.

Triplication for the Belgrave/Lilydale line

As Central Melbourne will continue to be a major location for employment, the arts, culture, sport and leisure, central Melbourne should be conveniently accessible by public transport for all Melbournians.
The demand on the Belgrave/Lilydale lines, with approximately 93,000 daily boardings, make these lines one of Melbourne’s most highly patronised rail corridors.

The patronage of both lines is reaching capacity with overcrowding a regular passenger experience. To facilitate more efficient and comfortable commuting for those passengers coming from beyond Ringwood Station, the triplication of the line between Box Hill and Ringwood is required.

Better Buses

Buses are the largest public transport option available to residents within Maroondah and the neighbouring municipalities. Bus patronage is growing, particularly on services with long operation and high frequency of service, i.e. the SmartBus Routes.

The recently conducted Metropolitan Bus Service Reviews was a step in the right direction with identifying inadequate service and generating regional specific solutions. However, very few of the recommendations have been implemented and they have only been small route extensions or minimal frequency and duration improvements.

Bus services in Maroondah remain poor with limited out of peak services and long wait times between services throughout most of the day. Improving bus services in coverage, service frequency and duration will provide real alternatives to the private vehicle and enable the community of Maroondah to have real choice in transport.

Conclusion

The provision of a more equitable, accessible public transport will reduce the detrimental effects of poor access to public transport in the eastern region, such as, social isolation, high car dependency, reduced financial freedom or the inability to access services.

A truly integrated and accessible transport network will also reduce the regions vulnerability to changes in the environment, such as climate change and peak oil.

I thank you for your attendance tonight and look forward to hearing how the candidates respond to your issues.

I’ll now hand you over to Clay to get the evening underway.

The 2010 Maroondah Seniors Jazz Concert

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The Maroondah Seniors Jazz Concert, is an annual event organised through the Maroondah Healthy Ageing Network and is now in its second year. The Network comprises of over 30 senior groups and clubs, as well as service organisations and provides ongoing dialogue and collaboration for organisations that focus on the needs of senior citizens within Maroondah.

Today’s concert, which was held at the Ringwood Bowls Club also served as a fundraiser for the Maroondah Hospital, with half the cost of hall hire being donated, as well as raffles. The event, which was booked out, was primarily organised through the Eastern Rangers Retirees Club, National Seniors Australia (Ringwood Branch), Life Activities Club, Enjoying Planned Retirement, and the Ringwood Bowls Club.

The jazz afternoon was an excellent event and provided not only an afternoon of jazz but also provided support for Maroondah Hospital, a major health service provider within the municipality and Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

Maroondah Leader: United stand on issues

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Throughout this year I have been focused on working cooperatively as a region to provide a regional perspective on issues and challenges facing Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

As Mayor, I have been working with the Mayors of Knox, Manningham, Whitehorse and the Shire of Yarra Ranges to deliver a cohesive approach to advocacy and priorities. An agreement for regional cooperation, has been signed between these councils and the Maroondah Leader has reported on this pledge:

Maroondah Mayor said the pact put the council in a better position to tackle issues affecting the region, such as transport and housing.

“Our aim is ensure that all levels of government are well aware of the issues we face in the eastern suburbs,” Cr Makin said.

The agreement, which is a first for Victoria, will deliver a collective voice for regional issues, through working together on activities that have common interest throughout the region.

Media Release: Council signs an Agreement of Mutual Support

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Maroondah City Council Mayor Alex Makin has joined five eastern council Mayors in signing an Agreement for Mutual Support in an effort to provide a stronger voice for the region.

Councillor Makin said the agreement would deliver a cohesive approach to issues facing the region.

“Having the support of our surrounding Councils will mean that Maroondah is better placed to tackle issues which affect our region, including public transport and community facilities,” Cr Makin said.

“Our aim is to ensure that all levels of government are well aware of the collective issues facing Councils and communities in the eastern suburbs. Maroondah Council has already been working cooperatively with our neighbouring councils and I look forward to this continuning into the future,” Cr Makin said.

The Mayors of the municipalities of Whitehorse, Knox, Manningham and Yarra Ranges also signed the agreement.
The agreement for mutual support commits the councils, where consistent and in accordance with each council’s adopted policy or position, to:

  • Lend support of the Council’s activities as considered appropriate in matters of common interest or mutual benefit
  • Be mindful of and take up opportunities to include other councils in activities that can provide economic, social and environmental benefit across the municipal boundaries
  • Work cooperatively and pro-actively to provide a collective voice for the region in matters where a collective voice will give greater weight to regional issues and solutions
  • Not replicate the activities of existing bodies, forums or like associations that already provide a collective voice for the councils covered by the agreement.

“This agreement will strengthen the partnerships that already exist between the five Councils and ensure that we work collectively to deliver outcomes for our communities,” Cr. Makin concluded.

The signing took place on Wednesday 22 September at the Art Space at Box Hill Town Hall, 1022 Whitehorse Road.

– ENDS –

Maroondah Leader: Point of no slick churn

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The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) is a community based organisation that promotes improvements to public transport.

I served as the founder and Convenor of the Outer East Branch until 2008, forming the branch to provide local advocacy on public transport issues affecting Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. Since 2008 Jeremy Lunn has served as the branch convenor and has performed tremendously in continuing to raise public transport issues effecting the the eastern region.

The Maroondah Leader has reported on ongoing concerns regarding the lack of frequent rail services along the Belgrave and Lilydale lines beyond Ringwood. I joined Jeremy in calling for more frequent services:

Public Transport Users Association outer east convenor Jeremy Lunn said passengers travelling on the Belgrave/Lilydale line beyond Ringwood were receiving services below urban standards.

Maroondah Mayor Alex Makin said consistent 10 minute services were essential, given Ringwood’s status as a Central Activities District.

The use of sustainable forms of transport is critical to the success of Ringwood’s transformation into a Central Activities District and the current half services beyond Ringwood do not encourage public transport usage.

“For example, people are waiting up to 30 minutes for an eight minute train ride to and from Croydon,” Cr Makin said. “It is completely unacceptable to have long gaps in frequency, particularly when we want more people to use public transport in Ringwood.”

The Frankston line was recently provided with a consistent 10 minute off-peak service, providing a frequent service linking the Frankston Central Activities District. This a welcomed step and provides public transport services that minimise waiting times.

Ringwood and Box Hill are both Central Activities Districts and served by the Belgrave/Lilydale lines, it is clear that these services require similar frequency improvements. Outer eastern residents should not need to wait up to half an hour to connect them to Ringwood or Box Hill.

Opening the mecu Eastland service centre

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mecu is a credit union, which encompassed several other organisations including Maroondah Credit Union. As an organisation, mecu has a strong focus on sustainability, with expert advice provided to their board in regard to sustainability initiatives.

This morning I was invited to open their new Eastland Service Centre, mecu’s flagship store for the eastern suburbs. The Service Centre incorporates sustainable building materials and it is encouraging to see mecu’s commitment to sustainability. The Eastland Service Centre recognises Ringwood’s position as a regional centre, with mecu offering a full range of financial services as this flagship store.

Meeting with the Mayors of Knox, Manningham, Whitehorse and the Yarra Ranges

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The City of Maroondah is one of several Councils located within Melbourne’s eastern suburbs and it is imperative that we work collaboratively to best represent the needs of our community.

Issues such as transport, planning and community facilities are common concerns across these Councils and the ability to deliver positive solutions is enhanced if we work together. This evening, we continued our previous discussions, where I met with my counterparts within Knox, Manningham, Whitehorse and the Yarra Ranges to discuss shared priorities across the region.

It is encouraging that each of the Mayors recognises the significance of Maroondah’s vision, particularly in regard to the Ringwood Central Activities Districts. For example, letters of support will be provided from each of these councils to encourage State funding assistance for the proposed Maroondah Aquatic and Leisure Centre. The ad-hoc planning of community infrastructure that was far too evident in the past is not sustainable and it is critical that a regional view is taken into account.

It is encouraging that these Mayors and their respective Councils appreciate the vision undertaken by the City of Maroondah to provide regional facilities that strengthens the eastern region through providing facilities to residents of Maroondah and beyond.