Tag: Events and Functions

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.

Delegates' report: volunteerism and community engagement

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The previous month marked a number of events that I would like to share with my colleagues and the gallery this evening.

On the 4th of September I had the pleasure of opening Brush Strokes, an art exhibition featuring works created by members of the Croydon Stroke Support Group and I would also like to thank Cr. Taylor for her attendance that morning. The exhibition, which is on show at the foyer of Maroondah Federation Estate, celebrates the support offered to members of the Croydon Stroke Suppport Group with the aim of restoring confidence and skills.

The Brush Strokes exhibition was a recipient of Maroondah’s Cultural Grants and it was great to be able to see the project, which looked good on paper, at its completion. I must offer my thanks to the organisers of the exhibition and the based council team at Federation Estate.

While art may come naturally to some people, many of the artists featured in the exhibition have had to re-learn their artistic skills and the fact that these artists have been able to re-develop their talents is a testament to the supporting nature of the Croydon Stroke Support Group.

In addition, there was also a number of collaborative pieces which allowed all members of the group to contribute, using a number of unique instruments, such as chopsticks, cups and eye droppers. These collaborative pieces served to represent the experiences of the members and the support and friendship gained from others.

After the opening, I spoke to a number of the artists who had their works on display and each of them discussed how the project helped them rebuild their confidence and assist in re-engaging with the community.

Brush Strokes will be on display in the foyer of the Maroondah Art Gallery at Federation Estate until the 30th of September. I would strongly recommend that people visit the exhibition so that they can see first hand the professionalism and diversity of the artworks in display.

On the 6th of September I, along with Cr Taylor, attended the Annual General Meeting of the Eastern Volunteers Resource Centre. The EVRC is a not for profit organisation, which provides volunteer assistance and community transport for people living in the Cities of Maroondah and Whitehorse and the Shire of Yarra Ranges. We are fortunate to have the main offices of the EVRC located in Maroondah and to have an organisation that actively promotes and encourages volunteerism. I would like to congratulate the office bearers for the upcoming year and for the new model rules that the organisation has adopted. These new rules which provide additional governance for the EVRC and separate its elected committee of management from its operational staff, will provide a focus for the organisation into the future.

I would like to table the Annual Report of the Eastern Volunteers Resource Centre and trust the organisation will continue to further its successes in coming years.

Media Release: Get into Maroondah's FReeZA and chill out

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It’s that time of the year again when Maroondah City Council’s Youth Services team puts out the call for interested young people in the community to become part of the Maroondah FReeZA Program.

Councillor Alex Makin said Council’s Youth Services team are looking for enthusiastic young people aged between 16 and 21 years who are interested in learning new skills, participating in the music industry, and organising eight live music events.

An information evening will be held on Wednesday 17 October from 5.30pm to 7.00pm at EV’s Youth Centre, 212 Mt Dandenong Road, Croydon.

“I would highly recommend attending this evening to anyone thinking of participating in the 2008 Maroondah FReeZA program. Members of the 2007 group will be available to answer questions and give an insight into the responsibilities and commitment involved in being a Maroondah FReeZA member,” said Cr Makin.

“Being part of the Maroondah FReeZA Program is a great way to develop leadership and interpersonal skills, gain first hand experience in the music industry, make new friends and put something back into the local community,” said Cr Makin.

“Maroondah FReeZA members are trained in a broad range of areas – including event management, teamwork, effective communication, meeting structures, networking, professionalism, budgeting and occupational health and safety,” said Cr Makin.

Members of the program will also train in five accredited modules of music industry training. The group will plan, coordinate and evaluate eight all-ages drug, alcohol and smoke free music events during 2008.

The Maroondah FReeZA program is part of the State Government’s FReeZA program, which concentrates on interactive personal development and group skills through organising live music events.

Maroondah FReeZA Program hopefuls must be willing to attend all training sessions and weekly meetings, be able to commit to the program until December 2008, must live work or study in Maroondah, and enjoy working in a team environment.

If this sounds like you and you think that you have what it takes, call Amanda Anguillesi, Youth Programs Worker for more information or an application form on 9298 4379 or email amanda.anguillesi@maroondah.vic.gov.au

Completed application forms must be received no later than 5pm Monday 29 October, 2007.

Maroondah Photographic Competition Awards

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This evening marked the presentation of the awards for the 2007 Maroondah Photography Competition. Photographs entered in the competition are showcased at the Maroondah Art Gallery, located at Federation Estate. Entrants can submit up to three photographs in either the Open, Intermediate or Junior categories.

There was a wide array of photographs, including images of sites within Maroondah, current events, such as the construction of EastLink and family photographs. I would like to congratulate all entrants in this year’s competition, as well as the winners within each of the categories.

Maroondah’s Photographic Competition is an annual event and is free to all residents, employees and visitors of Maroondah.

Croydon Conservation Society Film Night: An Inconvenient Truth and the End of Suburbia

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Urban sustainability and the environment have continued to remain at the forefront of the Maroondah community with the Croydon Conservation Society holding a film night, showcasing Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth and the End of Suburbia.

An Inconvenient Truth is a documentary surrounding former US Vice-President Al Gore’s presentation on climate change. Through the presentation Al Gore explores the impact of climate change on ocean levels, the polar ice caps and the migration trends and habitat of wildlife. In particular Al Gore stresses the need for immediate action to curb greenhouse emissions and draws a comparison between the worldwide action that resulted in the agreement to phase out CFCs. The phasing out of CFCs came into force in 1989 through the Montreal Treaty of 1987 and has often been hailed as one of the most successful international treaties in regard to its commitment and implementation.

It is interesting to note that at the time there was much controversy surrounding the effects of CFCs and the needs for a treaty, a situation that appears to have repeated itself in regard to climate change and the Kyoto treaty.

The second documentary, The End of Suburbia explores Peak Oil and the ramifications that rising petrol prices and the end of cheap fuel will have on suburbia. Peak Oil, where the supply of oil is unable to cater to rising demand, has risen in prominence within Australia due largely to overall trend of rising petrol prices. In particular the film explores why alternative fuels cannot simply substitute the current dependence on oil meaning that sustainable forms of transport such as public transport will be need to be improved. Hydrogen is a net energy loser (since it consumes more energy in its production than it actually provides) and biodiesels, such as ethanol, would currently require all agriculture land currently used for food production to be diverted to fuel production, obviously leaving a chronic shortfall in food sources. Evidence of this is already seen within a number of developing countries that have experienced rising food prices due to the increase of biodiesel production at the expense of food production.

While debate may still surround climate change and peak oil, the discussion is shifting from one of doubt to one of questioning the magnitude of when these events will occur. In this regard it seems imperative to begin mitigating the risks associated with both climate change and peak oil.

EV's Parent Information Night

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This evening I attended an information session for parents prepared by Maroondah’s Youth Services Team, which outlined the events hosted through the EV’s Youth Centre in Croydon.

The Information Session had a particular emphasis on the FReA program which consists of twelve young people who are responsible for organising and managing musical gigs at EV’s, including promotion, stage management, signing of bands and catering. This year’s FreeZA group have called themselves Amplified Productions and have already organised a number of events, including the youth stage at the Maroondah Festival.

The information session concluded with the indie artist night organised by Amplified Productions. The evening predominately featured local bands allowing these groups to be seen and heard by their local community.

EV’s holds a number of programs available for Maroondah’s youth, for more information please visit www.evsyouthcentre.com.

2007 Ringwood Highland Games

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The Ringwood Highlands Games, held in Jubilee Park in Greenwood Avenue, is a national event that celebrates Scotland and Scottish heritage. Events included pipe bands and highland dancing competitions, as well as featuring gathering of the Scottish clans, attracting clans across Australia and internationally.

The festivities attracted large crowds from right across Melbourne and further afield, demonstrating the ongoing success of this well regarded community and cultural event.

The Ringwood Highlands Games is held annually and will next be held on Sunday the 30th of March in 2008. For further information please visit www.ringwoodhighlandgames.org.au.

2007 Maroondah Festival

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The Maroondah Festival is an annual community event with numerous attractions including a lifestyle precinct, youth precinct, a community expo and a large gourmet food area.

The 2007 Maroondah Festival will be held on Sunday the 18th of February from 10am to 5pm at Croydon Park.

For more information please visit www.maroondahfestival.com.

Ringwood Art Society 40th Anniversary Artist of the Year – Maroondah Federation Estate

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The Ringwood Society was formed in 1966 and is well regarded as one of Victoria’s oldest art societies. The Artist of the Year Exhibition is an annual event organised by the Ringwood Arts Society and hosted by Maroondah Federation Estate.

This year marks the Ringwood Art Society’s 40th anniversary, and the Artist of the Year Exhibition will be held at the Maroondah Art Gallery from 12 to 20 January.

For further details: Maroondah Federation Estate, 32 Greenwood Avenue Ringwood or contact 9298 4545.

Rail Infrastructure Conference 2007

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As the Vice-President of the Public Transport Users Association (PTUA), I have been invited to speak at the 2007 Rail Infrastructure Conference to provide a users perspective of the success factors required for rail based public transport.

After decades of neglect, states around Australia are reinvesting heavily in rail and public transport due to economic, social and environmental benefits of sustainable transport. Unfortunately, Victoria is lagging behind the rest of the country since no new rail extensions are planned for at least 15 years.

This conference provides the opportunity to further advance the debate around the infrastructure needs of not just our urban cities but for the whole of Australia.

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