Australia Day in Maroondah is again shaping as a fun-filled affair with a range of activities on offer for the entire family.
The action gets under way at 9.30am at Ringwood Lake Soundshell with a flag raising ceremony to mark the national day.
Councillor Alex Makin suggested residents to head on down and enjoy a free community barbecue and children’s activities including craft workshops, animal farm, jumping castle and face painting.
“There will also be live entertainment on offer with a performance by the Ringwood Folk Band,” Cr Makin said.
Cr Makin said the day also provided an opportunity to recognise some of our community’s most valued citizens.
“Australia Day is an opportunity for all of us to take pride in our citizenship and reflect on the meaning and importance of being Australian,” Cr Makin said.
“It will be a pleasure to recognise the contributions of Maroondah residents to the community during Council’s annual Australia Day awards,” Cr Makin said.
“The annual Australia Day awards will be presented to Maroondah’s Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, and Community Event of the Year,” Cr Makin said.
Cr Makin said the day was about coming together as a nation to celebrate what’s great about Australia and being Australian.
“It’s the day to reflect on what we have achieved and what we can be proud of in Australia. It’s the day for us to recommit to making Australia an even better place for the future,” Cr Makin said.
“Each year Maroondah’s Australia Day celebrations draws a big crowd at Ringwood Lake. Council is again looking forward to welcoming the local community to celebrate what it is that makes them proud to be Australian,” Cr Makin said.
Event details:
9.30am: Flag raising ceremony
9.30am – 10.30am: Maroondah Australia Day Awards presentation and citizenship ceremony.
9.30am – 12.30pm: Family activities
11am – 12.30pm: Ringwood Folk Band perform
Getting there:
Via public transport: 10 minute walk from Ringwood Station or via bus route 670 which travels along Maroondah Highway. For further public transport information visit www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au or call 131 638.
Limited parking is available at Ringwood Lake, enter via Mt Dandenong Road. Melways 49 K8.
Ringwood Station fails to meet disability compliance standards and is perceived to be unsafe due to the poor station design, including narrow and steep ramps. The community has continually called for the full redevelopment of Ringwood Station into a safe, accessible and integrated interchange that will meet the needs of Ringwood as a vibrant urban centre.
While public transport is a State Government responsibility, Council must advocate on behalf of its community and it is clear that Maroondah is seeking a commitment for the redevelopment of Ringwood Station.
Council has been circulating a petition for the past month which has now attracted over 2000 signatures with approximately 1000 visitations through social media tools, including Facebook and Youtube. This evening Council officially launched the Missing Piece campaign with a direct call to action for all political parities to commit to the station upgrade.
Alex with Margaret launching Maroondah's Missing Piece campaign calling for the upgrade of Ringwood Station into an accessible, safe and integrated transport interchange
Ringwood Station is the Missing Piece in a vision for Ringwood, since a lack of commitment diminishes the residential, commercial and community investment that is taking place. Margaret Stevens, a renowned accessibility advocate who spent a week at Eastland collecting signatures for the petition, joined me in launching the campaign and calling on all political parties to commit to Ringwood’s future.
Council’s video highlighting the condition of Ringwood Station was displayed throughout the launch reinforcing the accessibility difficulties that exist.
The speech provided during the launch is available within this post:
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.
As you have gathered here this evening, you will have seen the video playing overhead showing the difficulty people in our community, and particularly those with a disability, have accessing Ringwood Station and the 50 year old ramps leading to the station platforms.
This video has been an important element of an advocacy campaign Council has been running over the past six weeks.
The campaign is seeking a funding commitment from all state political parties in the lead up to the State election for the upgrade of Ringwood Station within the next term of government.
The campaign has been running for six weeks with significant support and media coverage from Maroondah’s two local papers, editorial has appeared each week for the past 6 weeks.
Community support has been extremely strong, and to date we have over 2000 signatures to the petition, from individuals and community groups.
One of these individuals is here with us tonight, and I would like to acknowledge Margaret Stevens for her dedication to the cause in securing over 600 signatures from the Maroondah community and beyond during a week at Eastland. In addition, several members of the community, including Dawn Oliffe spent time at Ringwood Station securing signatures for the petition.
Margaret is one of many voices demanding action for Ringwood Station. I have spoken with many people during the course of this campaign and the message from the community is clear, Maroondah residents are tired of waiting, they want a safe, integrated, accessible and vibrant Ringwood Station, and they want it in the term of the next government.
Tonight, Council is launching “The Missing Piece – Ringwood Station” in the lead up to this evening’s Eastern Transport Coalition Forum.
Alex with Margaret launching Maroondah's Missing Piece campaign calling for the upgrade of Ringwood Station into an accessible, safe and integrated transport interchange.
Significant investment and development continues in Ringwood, with support from the State Government and private enterprise, however the commitment to fund the redevelopment of Ringwood Station remains the missing piece of the vision for the Ringwood Central Activities District.
As you can see within the Ringwood Central Activities District jigsaw, we have EastLink providing an important road transport corridor from Mitcham to Frankston, an area responsible for 40 percent of Victoria’s manufacturing output and over 1.3 million people living in the area and providing more than 350,000 jobs.
The sporting, recreational and leisure facilities that either currently exist (Maroondah Federation Estate/Maroondah Art Gallery, tennis, croquet, football and cricket), are under construction (Soccer), or awaiting funding (proposed Maroondah Aquatic and Leisure) in the Jubilee Park precinct are within walking distance from Ringwood Station and the Central Activities District.
New businesses and services are moving to Ringwood, bringing increased employment and spending, as evidenced by the Connect East building perched over EastLink.
Ringwood Lake Park is an icon of Ringwood, providing enormous leisure and recreational pleasure all year round for people of all ages and abilities.
The $39million bus interchange is poised to change the face of Maroondah Highway, however, it does not provide an interface with the existing Ringwood Station.
Residential housing development is showing consistent growth within the Central Activities District with private building developers showing their support for the vision of Ringwood. The new 10 story co-operative housing development will soon be home to over 100 people early next year.
Eastland and the Ringwood Market site are expected to see construction and expansion of retail, community and business floorspace, changing the face of Ringwood significantly.
The Lake to Creek project will see pedestrian and cycling links between the Mullum Mullum Creek and Ringwood Lake, adding another vital layer to the accessibility of our city.
It is time to add the missing piece to the Ringwood Central Activities District jigsaw, a new Ringwood Station.
It is time for each state political party to not only acknowledge the need for an upgrade to Ringwood Station, but to actually stand up and commit to fund this important piece of public transport infrastructure that remains the missing piece of the vision for the State Government’s own Ringwood Central Activities District.
Safety has become a key factor in Maroondah City Council’s push to secure a commitment to upgrade Ringwood Station within the next term of government.
Maroondah Councillor and Community Safety Reference Group representative Rob Steane said everyone deserved access to safe, accessible public transport.
“Media reports earlier this year highlighted Ringwood as having one of the highest levels of crimes across the metropolitan railway network. Regardless of whether or not these reports are a true reflection of Ringwood Station, they have resulted in a public perception that Ringwood Station is unsafe,” Cr Steane said.
“People have a right to feel safe when they are using public transport, and at the moment many people are scared to use Ringwood Station,” Cr Steane said.
“An upgrade to Ringwood Station would not only improve the amenities of the Station but it would also go a long way to improving public perceptions of safety,” Cr Steane said.
“The current layout of the station means there are many areas that are not visible from Maroondah Highway and Station Street, especially the ramps linking the platforms,” Cr Steane said.
Maroondah Mayor Alex Makin said he had spoken to many people in the course of the campaign with most commenting on safety concerns.
“Most people have commented on their insecurity when using the station at night. Many choosing to continue onto another station rather than have the worry of being at the station alone,” Cr Makin said.
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“The proposed upgrade to the station would open the whole area up to scrutiny and therefore act as a deterrent to anti-social behaviour,” Cr Makin said.
“It will also provide a better link to the central retail and business district making the area a safer, more visually attractive and user-friendly public place,” Cr Makin said.
“Securing this funding for an upgrade is an important start to improving Ringwood’s transport interchange and town centre. We will continue to lobby the state political parties on behalf of the Maroondah community for a funding commitment,” Cr Makin concluded.
Over the past several years the State Government progressively undertook a review of bus services across metropolitan Melbourne, examining network coverage, route configuration, operating span and frequency. The reviews were conducted along council boundaries, with Maroondah’s being undertaken last year, with the final report and recommendations not being made available until this year.
Unfortunately the implementation of these recommendations, which largely consisted of more frequent and longer running services, has been mixed. The Age has reported on the implementation of these reviews:
Maroondah mayor Alex Makin said his council had staged a public meeting in January last year, and later hosted two state government workshops. Many of the recommendations made by consultants after the review had not happened.
The bus service reviews identified short, medium and long-term priorities, with a series of recommendations that aim to improve bus services. While the short and medium term priorities had identifiable timeframes, the long-term initiatives, many of which included new routes to serve areas of Maroondah without bus services, lack an implementation plan.
Furthermore some of the short-term initiatives, including proposed frequency improvements, for route 670 along Maroondah Highway, one of Maroondah’s most highly patronised services, have not yet been delivered despite the review stating that this would begin in the middle of this year.
The State Government must deliver improvements to bus services to ensure that the bus network is a competitive form of transport.
Maroondah City Council is calling on all state political parties to commit to delivering a safe, accessible and integrated Ringwood Station within the term of the next State Government.
On September 1, Council will launch a petition as the first stage of a community based campaign calling for the Station redevelopment.
Maroondah Mayor Alex Makin said Council shares the community’s concern about the station.
“The Maroondah community has waited for far too long for a safe, accessible transit interchange. 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 Disability Discrimination Act is about treating people equally and giving people the same opportunities as everyone else as to access public transport. The continued lack of commitment towards the upgrade makes a mockery of delivering sustainable and accessible transport options,” Cr Makin said.
“The Tudor-style brick building which houses the ticket office was built in 1889 and the footbridge linking the platforms was upgraded in the 1960s. Despite the substantial population growth in the region and the importance of public transport, there has been no significant upgrade to the station in more than 50 years,” Cr Makin said.
“Following years of lobbying by Council the State Government undertook initial urban design works in 2004,” Cr Makin said.
“In 2007 the State Government spent $4.5million on design works to integrate the public transport interchange with the Eastland redevelopment. In September 2008 the State Government announced $39million for the Bus Interchange and Maroondah Highway Station Plaza project. While this is a positive step, we are still waiting for a funding commitment to upgrade the most important aspect of the Central Activities District – Ringwood Station,” Cr Makin said.
“Council will continue to work in partnership with State Government, and meet with department representatives and ministers to stress the importance of upgrading Ringwood Station to be compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act and for safety reasons,” Cr Makin said.
“We will also continue to meet with local members of parliament who are supportive of Council’s campaign and are willing to advocate of our behalf for a funding commitment to this essential project,” Cr Makin said.
“The redevelopment of the Ringwood Station into an accessible, integrated and safe transit interchange is critical to the success of our transition into a sustainable and accessible Central Activities District,” Cr Makin said.
“Council has a critical role in advocating on behalf of our community. The petition is an important way for Council and the community to get that message to the State Government,” Cr Makin said.
“The best way we can do this is generating as much support as possible, so we encourage everyone to sign the petition which will be available online, at Council’s service centres and Ringwood and Croydon libraries,” Cr Makin said.
“The more community support we gain, the stronger our voice in demanding that the funding commitment is made. I urge the community to join this campaign and to get involved” Cr Makin concluded.
To sign the petition and to join the campaign you can:
The Ringwood Chamber of Commerce aims to specifically represent the interests of businesses within Ringwood and is one of several business groups within the City of Maroondah. This evening the Ringwood Chamber of Commerce held its annual general meeting to elect officebearers for the upcoming twelve months and to outline the future direction of the organisation.
The Ringwood Chamber of Commerce and Industry was founded in 1947 and has played an important role in the history in Ringwood, including advocating for the placement of Eastland Shopping Centre, as well as Ringwood Square and the former Ringwood Market. Tonight’s guest speaker was Richard Carter, who spoke about his book, “From Horse Shoes to High Heels”, which documented the history of the land that is now occupied by Eastland Shopping Centre.
The establishment of Eastland in 1967, reshaped the Ringwood landscape and the centre has expanded several times over the following years, with the most recent extensions being in 2001. Eastland is now planning a further expansion, which will see the site expand to the Maroondah Highway and create a new mall-like environment. In addition, this redevelopment will provide for the creation of a new Library and Learning Centre for Ringwood, as well as the creation of a new town centre, to provide a civic and community soul for Ringwood.
This proposed development and the new civic facilities, means we can create an accessible urban centre, providing a range of community, residential and commercial opportunities. Ringwood has a unique history and it is great to see the involvement of our community in discussing the possibilities that exist for Ringwood’s future.
The Disability Action Group Eastern Region (DAGER) is a community based group focused on improving accessibility within Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, including the City of Maroondah. The group meets on a monthly basis and often has guest speakers at its meetings. This morning the group held a combined meeting with Scoot Wheel n Move, a community group which is focused on the needs of people with mobility aids, to discuss public transport issues relevant to Maroondah and the broader eastern region.
The meeting included presentations from Brian Tee, the Parliamentary Secretary for Public Transport, as well as representatives from Metro. Brian spoke about the Government’s Victorian Transport Plan, as well as the bus reviews, where he outlined some of the network wide improvements that are planned for Melbourne’s public transport system. In particular, the Ringwood to Frankston SmartBus will be extended from Ringwood from 2011 to provide another orbital route across Melbourne’s northern and eastern suburbs, similar to the recently upgraded orbital services from Box Hill and Nunawading. Other improvements include extending route 670, along Maroondah Highway, to Swinburne University in Lilydale, as well as more frequent services which are due to begin in July.
While these upgrades are definitely welcomed, there are still further improvements required for the Maroondah community, including the need for commitment to the long-term recommendations in the bus service reviews. These improvements include new and more frequent services and it is imperative that the Government commits to their implementation.
In addition there is the need for a commitment to the complete redevelopment of Ringwood Station, with many members of the group sharing their adverse experiences with Ringwoood Station. The steep and narrow ramps at the Station fail disability compliance standards making it difficult to access for people with disabilities and mobility aids. This lack of access hampers the ability to create a sustainable and inclusive urban centre and it is imperative that the State Government fully commit to the redevelopment of the Station.
The combined meeting between the Disability Action Group Eastern Region and Scoot Wheel n Move demonstrates the passion and strength that exists within Maroondah for an inclusive and accessible community. Both groups meet on a monthly basis and have proved to be strong advocates for creating a more inclusive municipality.
The State Government has finally released the Knox/Maroondah and Yarra Ranges bus review, which covered a total of 57 bus routes, serving a population of almost half a million people.
The review includes a number of short-term initiatives, including more frequent services for route 670, which will also be extended to Swinburne University in Lilydale. This bus route, which is one of Maroondah’s highest patronised services, runs along the Maroondah Highway, serving Ringwood, Croydon, Chirnside Park and Lilydale.
The Maroondah Leader has followed up on the release of the review and what it means for the City of Maroondah:
Maroondah Mayor Alex Makin said the improvements were positive, but new services were needed “sooner than later” to plug gaps along Canterbury Road and Mount Dandenong Road.
“We welcome the extension of route 670 along Maroondah Highway, which is long overdue,” he said.
“But the lack of a timeframe on the other projects is a concern.”
While these short-term improvements are welcomed, there is concern over the lack of timeframes for the longer-term initiatives, many of which will improve availability of bus services to residents in Maroondah.
The City of Maroondah issued a submission as part of the consultation into the bus service reviews, recommending frequency and operating span improvements. In addition Maroondah’s submission suggested new services along Canterbury Road connecting the Maroondah Indoor Sports Stadium and providing a service between Ringwood and Box Hill, as well as a new route running direct along Mount Dandenong Road from Ringwood to provide an accessible service to Karralyka, the Maroondah Civic Centre and Maroondah Hospital.
While these new bus routes were included as recommendations within the review, a timeframe for their implementation has not been provided. It is imperative that the State Government commit to the implementation of the bus service reviews to provide accessible and frequently available public transport within Maroondah.
