Tag: federation estate

Media Release: Draft Community Facilities Occupancy Policy and Pricing Policy on public display

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Maroondah City Council has endorsed the draft Community Facilities Occupancy Policy and the draft Community Facilities Pricing Policy for public display.

The policies were presented at the Council meeting on September 20.

Council currently owns or manages more than 100 sports fields, pavilions, halls, meeting rooms and other facilities on behalf of the community.

Maroondah Mayor Councillor Alex Makin said the draft policies were developed concurrently and were directly aligned.

“The draft policies provide a comprehensive framework for the community use of Council owned or managed facilities,” Cr Makin said.

“The draft Community Facilities Occupancy Policy and the draft Community Facilities Pricing Policy will guide the process of determining appropriate occupancy agreements and pricing structures for all Council owned or managed facilities and ensure the agreements are consistent and transparent,” Cr Makin said.

“The draft policies aim to establish clear frameworks so the community groups know what they are paying for, why they are paying and that other users groups in similar situations are contributing in a consistent manner,” Cr Makin said.

“Under the draft Community Facilities Occupancy Policy community groups wishing to use Council owned or managed facilities will have to undergo an assessment to determine the suitability of the proposed arrangement and the length of tenure. Once this assessment has taken place Council will then discuss the rate of rental,” Cr Makin said.

“There are two existing policies relating to the occupancy and the pricing of community facilities, however these policies have not been updated for a number of years. During this time there has been changes to legislation, increased emphasis on risk management and occupational health and safety requirements and changes to the way the groups are using the facilities,” Cr Makin said.

“To meet these new needs Council has also reassessed the pricing structure associated with the use of Council facilities. The current pricing structure has been in place for the past 11 years and was established with the intention that Council could recover an estimated 30 per cent of facility maintenance costs,” Cr Makin said.

“In the past 11 years that margin has dropped significantly and Council is currently recovering on average 3 per cent of maintenance costs for the sporting grounds and 15 per cent for the pavilions,” Cr Makin said.

“Council believes the sporting grounds and community facilities are integral to the development of a strong community, which is why we subsidise and support the many groups which use them,” Cr Makin said.

“We need to have a system in place which allows for the reasonable, transparent and equitable use of these facilities,” Cr Makin said.

The policies cover most Council owned facilities or grounds including:

  • Council Owned Community Halls
  • Community Centres
  • Kindergartens
  • Senior Citizens Centres
  • Sporting Pavilions
  • Sports Grounds and sporting activity surfaces
  • Scout and Guide Halls
  • Facilities managed by Council Committees of Management
  • Maroondah Federation Estate

The draft policies will be on public display until October 26. Those wanting to make a submission must do so before this date. Following consideration of the submissions the policies will be amended where appropriate and Council endorsement will be sought.

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Media Release: Ringwood Station petition well supported

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Maroondah City Council’s petition calling on all state political parties to commit to a redevelopment of Ringwood Station in the next term of government has received generous support from the community.

Maroondah Mayor Alex Makin said to date more than 150 people had signed the petition, some choosing to leave comments on Council’s website.

“It has been great to hear how strongly the community feel about the need for an upgrade to the station. Last week Council released a video on our website which highlights the difficulties people who rely on a mobility device have in accessing the station,” Cr Makin said.

“The amount of community support our campaign has received to date speaks for itself. People are fed up with the current state of the station and are willing to speak out to campaign for change,” Cr Makin said.

“I urge those who haven’t already signed the petition to visit one of Council’s service centres or website and support our campaign. The more community support we can generate the greater the impact it will have when we present the petition to the political parties,” Cr Makin said.

Some of the comments posted on Council’s online petition:

“Every time I walk up or down this station I wonder how people with disabilities, pregnant women or mums with prams get up and down the walkway to go over the tracks. It’s a big worry, and I feel unsafe walking there and nothing is even wrong with me.” Georgia, Mount Evelyn

“Ringwood Station needs to be more user friendly for all Maroondah residents. More and more residents are relying on Ringwood Station than ever before. It is time to invest.” Emily, Ringwood.

“This is discrimination, clear and simple.” Aidan, Bayswater North

“I use Ringwood Station daily for commuting to work in the city and the Ringwood Station is a joke….. The ramps are quite steep and falling over on icy conditions is not uncommon, I have done it a couple of times. We need action fast.” Sandy, Ringwood.

“The sooner the better, waited too long,” Ringwood East couple

“I have a 19-year-old intellectually and physically disabled daughter. It is IMPOSSIBLE for us to use Ringwood Station due to the appalling lack of disabled facilities. Is it not part of the State Disability Plan to ensure ALL Government sites have disabled access? Surely the Department of Transport is remiss in its responsibility to ensure that Ringwood Station (as a major transport hub) is accessible for all people, not just the able bodied. Karen, Ringwood East.

“It is appalling that people who use public transport should be subjected to an unsafe and intimidating environment at their local station. Ringwood Station is an anachronism that the Government should be ashamed of, and improve if it has any sense of social conscious.” Nick

Go online to watch the video, to complete an online submission or to download a copy of the petition:
Maroondah Council website – www.maroondah.vic.gov.au
Maroondah Youth Services website www.maroondahyouthservices.com.au

To sign the petition or find out more about the campaign:
Visit one of Council’s service centres:
City Offices Service Centre
Braeside Avenue, Ringwood

Eastland Service Centre
Level 2, Eastland Shopping Centre, Ringwood
Croydon Service Centre
Civic Square, Croydon

Visit one of Council’s facilities:
Arrabri Community Centre
Allambanan Drive, Bayswater North.

Croydon Library
Civic Square, Mount Dandenong Road, Croydon.

Karralyka Centre
Mines Road, Ringwood.

Maroondah Federation Estate
Greenwood Avenue, Ringwood.

Ringwood Library
4 Ringwood Street Mall, Ringwood
(Adjacent to Eastland Shopping Centre).

Wyreena Community Arts Centre
13-23 Hull Road, Croydon.

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Launch of Brush Strokes Exhibition from the Croydon Stroke Support Group

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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

Media Release: Video highlights Ringwood Station inadequacies

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Maroondah City Council has stepped up the Ringwood Station advocacy campaign launching an online video highlighting major accessibility issues at the station.

Maroondah Mayor Alex Makin said the video highlighted the shocking state of the station.

“The video really shows how bad the station is and how inaccessible it is for those who rely on wheelchairs or scooters as a mode of transport. Viewers will be able to see what these people go through every time they use Ringwood Station,” Cr Makin said.

“I have met with and spoken to many people in the past few weeks and they have all expressed their fear of using the station because of the accessibility issues,” Cr Makin said.

“In one case the ramps were so steep that the rear support wheels on their wheelchair lifted two or three centimetres off the ground while going down the ramps. Others cannot stop on the ramps because the brakes are not strong enough to cope with the inappropriate gradient,” Cr Makin said.

“These cases just highlight the station’s inadequacies and shows the personal impact it is having because it is not compliant with the State Government’s own Disability Discrimination Act. It is time that Ringwood Station receives the upgrade it deserves,” Cr Makin said.

“Since the start of the advocacy campaign, the amount of support and feedback Council has received has been phenomenal. This is something that the people of Maroondah feel strongly about, and Council has listened to their concerns and is doing everything possible to ensure our concerns are heard,” Cr Makin said.

Maroondah City Council is conducting a petition calling on all state political parties to commit to an upgrade of Ringwood Station within the term of the next government.

The video will be available via Maroondah City Council’s website from Tuesday September 13.

Go online to watch the video, to complete an online submission or to download a copy of the petition:
Maroondah Council website – www.maroondah.vic.gov.au
Maroondah Youth Services website www.maroondahyouthservices.com.au

To sign the petition:

Visit one of Council’s service centres:
City Offices Service Centre
Braeside Avenue, Ringwood

Eastland Service Centre
Level 2, Eastland Shopping Centre, Ringwood

Croydon Service Centre
Civic Square, Croydon

Visit one of Council’s facilities:
Arrabri Community Centre
Allambanan Drive, Bayswater North.

Croydon Library
Civic Square, Mount Dandenong Road, Croydon.

Karralyka Centre
Mines Road, Ringwood.

Maroondah Federation Estate
Greenwood Avenue, Ringwood.

Ringwood Library
4 Ringwood Street Mall, Ringwood
(Adjacent to Eastland Shopping Centre).

Wyreena Community Arts Centre
13-23 Hull Road, Croydon.

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Maroondah Art Gallery Exhibition Opening ‘Idee fixe’ & ‘Come into the Garden Maud’

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The Maroondah Art Gallery is located at Maroondah Federation Estate in Greenwood Avenue, Ringwood. This evening I attended the opening of two exhibitions, ‘Idée fixe’ and ‘Come into the Garden Maud’.

‘Idée fixe’ includes works from three artists, Penelope Le Petit, Julie Milton and Antoinette de Morton, who utilise printmaking and a range of mediums to explore the association of objects and gender associations. ‘Come into the Garden Maud’, features works by Sharman Feinberg whose paintings depict the colours and shape of a number of private and public gardens, including Monet’s Garden in Giverny France.

Both exhibitions will be featured at the Maroondah Art Gallery until the 2nd of October. For further details please visit www.artsinmaroondah.com.au.

Media Release: Mayor leads by example in station advocacy campaign

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“Today marks the start of our campaign to secure a commitment from all major state political parties to commit to an upgrade of Ringwood Station within the term of the next government,” Maroondah Mayor Alex Makin said.

“I am proud to be the first signatory on the petition which we hope will see Ringwood Station transformed into an integrated public transport interchange. I urge others to show their support for our campaign by also signing the petition,” Cr Makin said.

“The Maroondah community has waited for far too long for a new station so by creating a united voice in the form of a petition we can show the political parties that our concerns are justified and should not be ignored any longer,” Cr Makin said.

“Council shares the community’s concerns and recognises that we need a station which is compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act and addresses safety concerns,” Cr Makin said.

“The current layout of the station fails disability compliance standards meaning it is difficult to access for people with a disability, the elderly and parents with prams,” Cr Makin said.

The prayer of the petition is as follows:
We, the undersigned, are greatly concerned with the continued lack of commitment to complete the redevelopment of Ringwood Station.
The redevelopment of the Ringwood Station into an accessible, integrated and safe public transport interchange is critical to the needs to the Maroondah community and to the success of Ringwood’s transition into a sustainable, accessible and vibrant Central Activities District.

We seek a commitment from all state political parties, in the lead up to the State Election, to fund the upgrade of Ringwood Station within the next term of government.

To sign the petition or find out more about the campaign:

Visit one of Council’s service centres:
City Offices Service Centre
Braeside Avenue, Ringwood

Eastland Service Centre
Level 2, Eastland Shopping Centre, Ringwood

Croydon Service Centre
Civic Square, Croydon

Visit one of Council’s facilities:

Arrabri Community Centre
Allambanan Drive, Bayswater North.

Croydon Library
Civic Square, Mount Dandenong Road, Croydon.

Glen Park Community Centre
30 Glen Park Road, Bayswater North.

Karralyka Centre
Mines Road, Ringwood.

Maroondah Federation Estate
Greenwood Avenue, Ringwood.

Ringwood Library
4 Ringwood Street Mall, Ringwood
(Adjacent to Eastland Shopping Centre).

Wyreena Community Arts Centre
13-23 Hull Road, Croydon.

Go online to complete an online submission or download a copy of the petition:

Maroondah Council website – www.maroondah.vic.gov.au
Maroondah Youth Services website www.maroondahyouthservices.com.au

– ENDS –

Ringwood Historical Society – Early Jewish Settlers in the Colony of Victoria

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The Ringwood Historical Society meets on a monthly basis with guest speakers discussing aspects of history.

Tonight’s guest speaker discussed the growing cultural diversity in the early days of the Colony of Victoria through Jewish migration into the settlement. Victoria and Melbourne have a long tradition of cultural diversity and in its early Colonial history Jewish communities were also evident in Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong and Shepparton.

The guest speaker also discussed the difficulties in tracing family histories, particularly due to name changes and a lack of complete records. Fortunately resources exist to assist members in tracing their family histories and to piece together some of the missing pieces.

The Ringwood Historical Society meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month from 8pm at Maroondah Federation Estate. For details please visit www.rhs.org.au.

Delegates’ Report: Thanking our volunteers, supporting cultural diversity and youth and reducing greenhouse emissions

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On the 31st of July I attended an evening hosted by Maroondah’s Sudanese Community, where they shared traditional Southern Sudanese cuisine with the wider Maroondah municipality. Maroondah is home to almost 200 people from Sudan who share similar aspirations, in regard to employment and housing, like many other members of our community.

The food included lamb and cous cous combined with traditional Southern Sudanese cooking and ingredients and it is great to see all members of our community welcoming each other into Maroondah. Our municipality consists of people from a range of backgrounds and cultures and it is diversity that enriches our community and provides opportunities.

I congratulate the Sudanese community for bringing Maroondah’s communities together for the meal and for sharing their aspirations within the municipality.

On the 4th of August I had the pleasure of hosting the Community Volunteers Luncheon, providing an opportunity to acknowledge the work undertaken by the many volunteers within our community. Maroondah is fortunate to have many people committed to volunteering and working together to improve the wellbeing and amenity of our municipality.

The Community Volunteers Luncheon is Maroondah’s way of acknowledging and thanking the efforts of our volunteers and I would like to congratulate the many people who devote their time, energy and resources into improving our community.

On the 5th of August I attended a meeting organised by Common Equity Housing Limited (CEHL), the managers of the affordable housing cooperative in Larissa Avenue, Ringwood. The meeting provided an opportunity to meet prospective tenants of the development and to discuss Council’s plans for the Ringwood Central Activities District and the need for a State Government commitment towards Ringwood Station. It was great to see such enthusiasm towards the vision for Ringwood from the participants at the meeting. While Council was understandably concerned over the State Government’s removal of Council’s planning powers over the development, it is critical that we now work towards ensuring that the tenants of the development are a part of our community and able to partake in the same opportunities that we are all able to enjoy within Maroondah.

On the 6th of August I attended the launch of the Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action’s Solar Hot Water Program. The Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action is formed through six Councils within Eastern Melbourne, including Boroondara, Whitehorse, Maroondah, Yarra Ranges, Knox and Monash. The program will provide assistance in reducing household greenhouse emissions through solar hot water systems. An information session is scheduled for Thursday the 9th of September at 11am at Maroondah Federation Estate in Ringwood, where members of our community can learn more about this program.

I’ll be tabling the rest of my report.

Launch of the Eastern Alliance of Greenhouse Action solar hot water program

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This morning I joined the Mayors of Knox, Whitehorse and the Shire of Yarra Ranges to launch a bulk buy solar hot water program for the residents in the eastern suburbs facilitated through the Eastern Alliance of Greenhouse Action (EAGA).

The Eastern Alliance of Greenhouse Action was formed two years ago through the Councils of Knox, Whitehorse, Boroondara, Monash, Maroondah and the Yarra Ranges to deliver programs that reduce greenhouse emissions for their respective residents.

The alliance has chosen Green Project as the preferred supplier of solar hot water systems, and will also offer free advice and a range of products including Solar PV, free home sustainability assessments, and free installation of eco-light bulbs to make it easier for residents to reduce their power bills.

A number of information sessions will be held to introduce the program to residents. The session to be held in Maroondah will be on Thursday 9 September, from 11am to 12pm, at Maroondah Federation Estate, 32 Greenwood Avenue, Ringwood.

To register your interest in the program or to attend an information session call 1800 899 330 or register online: www.greenproject.com.au/eaga-ses/

Media Release: Time to convert to solar hot water?

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Installing a solar hot water system can not only save you money on your energy bills, but it will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

To assist residents to make the switch to an economical and environmentally sustainable system, Maroondah City Council has teamed up with the City of Boroondara, Knox City Council, Monash City Council, the City of Whitehorse and Yarra Ranges Council to deliver a solar hot water program to residents.

Maroondah Mayor, Councillor Alex Makin said the councils had joined forces to form the Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action (EAGA) to better deliver community projects which address climate change.

“By replacing inefficient hot water systems with a solar hot water alternative that uses less energy, can save up to 75 per cent of your water heating bills. For a family of four who have an electric hot water system, they could save up to $920 a year on their water heating bills if they install a solar hot water system”Cr Makin said.

“As part of the program EAGA has teamed up with solar hot water system provider Green Project to make it easier for residents find out about a solar hot water system to suit their home and lifestyle.

“There are also a number of government rebates available to residents who make the switch to solar hot water. As part of the initiative residents will receive all the information they need to ensure they are getting as much money back in their pockets as possible.

“As a bonus, for residents who sign up for the program Green Project is offering them a discount of up to $500 until 30 September 2010,” Cr Makin said.

If you want to know more about the program information sessions to explain the program will be held throughout the region over the next few months. The session to be held in Maroondah will be on Thursday 9 September, from 11am to 12pm, at Maroondah Federation Estate, 32 Greenwood Avenue, Ringwood.

To register your interest in the program or attending an information session call 1800 899 330 or register online: www.greenproject.com.au/eaga-ses/

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