Tag: train

Tour of Maroondah’s Community Facilities – Ringwood

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The council tour of community facilities continued this evening to include several community and leisure facilities located within Ringwood.

The first destination was the Karralyka Centre, which is Maroondah’s home to theatre and the performing arts. The Karralyka Centre also serves as a performance space to local groups and schools and also provides function rooms for events.

While the location of Karralyka is not ideal, it is accessible through bus route 670 along Maroondah Highway and hopefully the State Government will introduce a new direct service from along Mount Dandenong Road as part of the bus service reviews.

The tour continued through to Central Ringwood Community House, which is located in Bedford Road, Ringwood in close proximity to Ringwood Station. Central Ringwood Community House is part of Bedford Park and manages the community hall that is located on the site.

Central Ringwood Community House. includes a number of classrooms and permanent computer training facilities. The Community House is the recipient of the Federal Government’s Better Regions Program which will be utilised to improve accessibility and provide new classrooms.

Federation Estate was the next destination and is located along Greenwood Avenue near Jubilee Park and Ringwood’s main sporting precinct. Federation Estate includes the Maroondah Art Gallery, which features several prominent exhibitions, including local artists. The arts are further reinforced through an artist in residency program where artists are able to complete their artwork within Federation Estate.

The facility also includes several meeting rooms available to community groups and the Amazing Space playground, which is a fully accessible playground focusing on the senses and imagination. Amazing Space is a unique sensory focused playground and has received a number of awards and positive reviews.

The Maroondah Indoor Sports Stadium, was the next destination and is located along Canterbury Road. The facility provides four basketball courts and recently introduced martial arts lessons. The stadium is extremely well utilised by a number of basketball and netball clubs.

Ringwood Golf Course, is next door to the Maroondah Indoor Sports Stadium and is an eighteen hole public golf course. The golf course includes a cafe, which caters to both golf patrons and external functions with views overlooking the course. Ringwood Golf Course offers coaching and golf lessons, as well as a golf shop which stocks a wide range of golfing equipment.

After the golf course the tour continued through to the Jubilee Park Ringwood Soccer Pavilion. Council has applied for federal funding to redevelop the soccer pavilion and to provide facilities for the MVC Boxing Club. Should this grant be approved it will provide premiere soccer facilities within Maroondah, as well as introduce new sports within the Jubilee Park sporting precinct.

Ringwood Aquatic Centre was the last destination of the tour. The Aquatic Centre provides a 50 metre indoor pool, as well as a hydrotherapy pool and general purpose swimming facilities. The floor of the aquatic centre is currently being re-tiled and funding was successful to introduce a co-generation plant to reduce the facility’s energy consumption.

While Ringwood is fortunate to include several prominent sporting and cultural facilities that are only a short five or ten minute walk from the centre of Ringwood, improvements to wayfinding and signage would assist in re-connecting these facilities.

Rotary Club of Ringwood – Support and employment for our youth

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The Rotary Club of Ringwood, is part of the wider Rotary network through District 9810 and while each club is largely autonomous they do cooperate on regional projects.

Rotary clubs within the District were heavily involved in fundraising through the Eastlink Open Day and tonight’s guest speakers from KYM Employment Services received $1,500 from the Rotary Club of Ringwood through these efforts.

KYM Employment Services was formed in 1998 through a merger of organisations within Maroondah, Knox and the Yarra Ranges

KYM Employment Services is a community based not-for-profit organisation that has sites within Boronia, Ringwood, Bayswater, Camberwell and Glen Waverley.

The organisation provides support and training services for young people with the aim of encouraging high school completion or alternatively assisting younger people through a range of accredited training courses.

KYM Employment Services links employers with younger people through the Youth Pathways Program and provides support services during the transition from education into employment.

While the organisation’s priority is to try and keep younger people within school, KYM Employment Services recognises that a range of educational options should be available to meet the needs of our youth.

The organisation also delivers other support services to build the confidence of younger people, including regular breakfast and lunch programs, as well as providing advice and peer support.

For further information on KYM Employment Services please visit www.kym.com.au

Using Linux – free software alternatives to Windows

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To my knowledge I am the only elected representative within Australia to use Linux and open source software such as KDE, Kontact, Openoffice.org and Firefox for my day-to-day computing requirements.

I choose to use Linux and open source software since I find it more responsive and stable than a Windows based system. Linux is an open source operating system that is available in various forms known as distributions.

Linux and the majority of software that operates on it are provided free of charge and are designed as well as supported through active community participation.

While there is undoubtedly a learning curve when trying anything new, Linux distributions such as OpenSUSE and Kubuntu tend to be extremely user friendly. Linux support for hardware continues to increase and there are many free programs that can easily replace existing Windows based software.

In addition, Linux tends to not have the security and virus issues that are far to commonplace within a Windows based environment.

While Linux and open source software may not be for everyone, I believe there is tremendous opportunity for the non-profit and community sector to investigate the use of Linux within their organisations.

The free cost of Linux and associated programs combined with the fact that it can still easily and efficiently operate on older computer hardware means it has the potential to reduce IT costs.

While there may be a requirement for initial training and configuration, this can be offset by reducing the cost of purchasing new software and hardware.

Free software such as Openoffice.org provides an easy to use Office suite and is largely compatible with Microsoft Office. Mozilla Firefox provides a more secure Internet browser than Internet Explorer and Kontact provides a full suite of information services, including a calendar, notes, email and address book features.

Linux provides a choice of graphical desktop environments and KDE with its associated applications exceeds the features and stability found within Windows XP and Vista. XFCE is another desktop environment and is well suited towards older computers that may still be present within an organisation.

If there are Windows based programs that an organisation is reliant upon, there is a program known as WINE which can allow such software to still operate within Linux.

I recently switched from OpenSUSE to Arch Linux, which is a distribution designed to be highly flexible and customisable. While Arch Linux requires more time to customise than other distributions, it does have the advantage of being extremely fast and stable.

Alternatively, distributions such as OpenSUSE and Kubuntu provide an easy to install and operational Linux environment with minimal need for customisation.

The use of Linux with its potential to reduce IT costs is certainly worth exploring.

Media Release: Council establishes public transport priorities

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Maroondah City Council has confirmed the priorities for public transport issues to be advocated through the Eastern Transport Coalition.

Councillor Alex Makin is Maroondah City Council’s representative on the Eastern Transport Coalition, a group of seven outer Eastern metropolitan Councils.

“The Eastern Transport Coalition is an ongoing collegiate of seven Councils that advocates to the Federal and Victorian Governments for sustainable and integrated transport services in Melbourne’s outer East,” said Cr Makin.

“Each year the Eastern Transport Coalition seeks to set objectives for advocacy regarding improved bus services, more rail services and better coordination between modes of public transport,” said Cr Makin.

“At the formal meeting of Council on Monday this week, Council confirmed Maroondah’s public transport advocacy priorities for 2009,” said Cr Makin.

The three priorities are:

  • The triplication of the rail line from Box Hill to Ringwood;
  • The upgrade of Ringwood Railway Station and the bus interchange, and
  • The continued improvements to coverage and service frequency for the bus network within Maroondah.

“As Council’s representative on the Eastern Transport Coalition, I will be ensuring that these priorities are uppermost in the minds of the Coalition and in our advocacy to the State and Federal Government,” said Cr Makin.

Please continue reading to view some background information on these three priorities:

Continue reading “Media Release: Council establishes public transport priorities”

Maroondah Leader: Transport Coalition aims for changes

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The State Government is undertaking review of bus services across Metropolitan Melbourne with the latest series exploring routes within Maroondah, Knox and the Yarra Ranges.

The Maroondah Leader has reported on the upcoming reviews, including the public workshop which will be held this Thursday.

Coalition Deputy Chair and Maroondah councillor Alex Makin called for a two-tier service with frequent, direct services on main roads and a second tier of local bus routes to connect passengers to the main services.

A two-tiered bus network would significantly reduce travel times and ensure that Maroondah’s main roads are are provided with frequent and direct bus services.

“The average bus route in Maroondah tends to go down a lot of different side streets and that adds a lot of time to the journey,” Cr Makin said.

The success of the Ringwood to Frankston SmartBus demonstrates that people will use public transport when it is frequent, direct and readily available.

Cr Makin said residents raised several complaints about bus services at a public forum on January 29.

“People brought up issues about the frequency of the bus routes, the fact that the average bus finishes at 8pm or 9pm on a weekday and that buses are failing to make connections with other buses and with the train network,” Cr Makin said.

Given that the majority of Maroondah’s residents live beyond walking distance to the rail network, it is critical that the municipality is provided with a comprehensive bus network that enhances the mobility of our community.

“Unfortunately it’s all too common an occurance when the bus pulls up at a station, only for people to find that the train has already left.”

The feedback from council’s workshop will be used to assist council’s submission to the State Government. In addition community members should attend one of the State Government’s workshops to provide a further opportunity for input.

Improvements to bus services will help ensure an accessible municipality and reduce Maroondah’s greenhouse emissions.

Maroondah Disability Action Group meeting

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The Maroondah Disability Action Group also known as the Disability Action Group Eastern Region, aims to provide a voice for people with disabilities across Maroondah and Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

The group includes people with disabilities who desire to improve the accessibility of Maroondah and the outer east. Specific aims include:

  • To provide systemic advocacy to influence policies at a local, state or federal level;
  • To campaign for accessible transport improvements;
  • To cooperate with other like minded groups at a local and state level, and
  • To push for greater, accessible and inclusive health services.

The Maroondah Disability Action Group meets at 10 am on the second Monday of each month at the Ringwood Church of Christ at 13 Bedford Road in Ringwood.

The venue is fully accessible and in close proximity to Ringwood Station and bus routes 367 (Ringwood to Croydon via East Ringwood) and 679 (Chirnside Park Shopping Centre to Ringwood via Mount Evelyn, Montrose and Canterbury Road).

Maroondah workshop on bus services

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The State Government will shortly be undertaking a review of bus services across Maroondah, Yarra Ranges and Knox. These reviews, which have been progressively undertaken across Metropolitan Melbourne, provide an opportunity to highlight gaps in network coverage, as well as routes requiring service improvements or re-routing.

This evening Maroondah hosted a public workshop to provide an opportunity to hear the community’s views on bus services within the municipality.

This feedback will assist council in presenting the community’s views to the State Government’s bus review process with the aim of ensuring better public transport services across the municipality.

The need to improve connectivity between bus routes, as well as with the train network, featured prominently during the discussions, as did the need for more frequency and operating span improvements.

Accessibility improvements are also required including additional low-floor buses and improvements to bus shelters.

Ultimately bus routes should be re-routed so that Maroondah’s main roads are provided with direct, frequent and readily available bus routes. These routes would operate as a principal bus network that would assist in making public transport competitive with car travel. Outside these main routes, localised bus services would operate to connect people to the principal network.

A two-tiered bus network would enhance the mobility of our community through providing an integrated and efficient public transport network.

The State Government’s Workshop on bus services will be held on Thursday the 19th of February from 6:30 pm at the Ringwood RSL. The feedback council received from tonight will shape Maroondah’s submission into the bus review process.

Eastern Transport Coalition Presentation on Train and Tram Refranchising

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As the Deputy Chair of the Eastern Transport Coalition I was invited to present the ETC’s views on the re-franchising arrangements for the rail and tram network. The presentation provided an opportunity to highlight the needs of Melbourne’s outer suburban residents and opportunities that can be pursued through the new franchise arrangements for more a frequent, reliable and accessible public transport system.

The Eastern Transport Coalition (ETC) as a regional body representing one million residents within its seven outer eastern councils is well positioned to understand the requirements of its communities and to demonstrate the need for efficient public transport operations.

The survey data compiled by the Australian Research Group for the ETC clearly demonstrates that residents of Melbourne’s outer east would be more than willing to use public transport if services are frequent, readily available and easy to understand.

In particular the ETC believes that there is considerable scope to improve off-peak and interpeak services, as a way of shifting travel demand and mitigate worsening overcrowding during peak times. Frequency of service is a key driver to attracting passengers onto public transport at times other than peak periods. Likewise there should also be the opportunity for express services outside the traditional peak periods.

More frequent services will also assist in delivering a more reliable system since it will assist in more evenly distributing demand across the network. Likewise all rail lines should operate at a consistent service frequency and operating span to provide consistency across the network.

While bus services are outside the scope of the train and tram re-franchising proposals there is a need to improve coordination across the entire public transport system, as such the new franchising arrangements must trigger a review of connecting bus services whenever there is a modification of rail and tram timetables. Bus services generally require at least a three month lead-time to implement changes and ample time is provided so that all modes can operate in a coordinated manner.

Accessibility is also a critical factor with the State Government failing to meet targets for disability compliance on the rail network. There would be a considerable opportunity to provide the franchisee with the scope to redevelop nominated stations in exchange for commercial rights. This would provide the operator with an incentive to modernise Melbourne’s rail stations through the creation of mixed use transit hubs and also ensure higher cleanliness and safety standards.

Likewise it is also critical that the new franchise arrangements include scope to extend the rail network, such as the much needed rail extensions to Rowville and Doncaster and the tram extensions that are required to Knox and Doncaster Hill.

Local Government both individually and collectively as a region would welcome the opportunity to engage the new rail and tram operators so that services meet the needs of our community. As an example, we have actively engaged Connex through the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee, which has led to the reduction of vandalism along Maroondah’s rail network. Public transport is critical to the mobility of our communities and local government should be actively engaged over initiatives and timetable changes.

The new franchise arrangements for the train and tram network will begin on the 1st of December of this year. It is imperative that the new agreements assist in delivering a service that meets the needs of our community.

Eastern Volunteers 2009 Board of Management Meeting

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Eastern Volunteers is a not-profit organisation that provides volunteer assistance, as well as community transport for the frail aged and people with disabilities. The organisation aims to strengthen volunteering by providing training services and assistance in recruiting and placing volunteers within other community based associations.

Eastern Volunteers is also heavily involved in community transport solutions and provides a range of transport services for home and community care (HACC) eligible clients to assist in enhancing social inclusion and reducing isolation. The organisation is also involved in programs which aim to look at how community transport can augment public transport and taxi services. Eastern Volunteers is also one of the partners of the Sustainable Living Space initiative, which aims to investigate the potential for an environmentally sustainable community centre in Melbourne’s outer east.

Eastern Volunteers was formed in 1976 and has 14 part-time staff with approximately 100 volunteers to assist in service delivery. A voluntary board of management oversees the policies and strategic direction of the organisation. I have been a member of the board of management since July 2008.

For further details on Eastern Volunteers please visit www.easternvolunteers.org.au.

Sustainable Melbourne Transport Forum

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As the Deputy Chair and Maroondah delegate of the Eastern Transport Coalition I was invited to present to a transport forum organised by the Australasian Centre for the Governance and Management of Urban Transport (GAMUT).

The forum was organised in response to the Government’s Victorian Transport Plan to identify common areas of agreement and discuss any particular aspects of concern. Each speaker discussed the need for further investment in public transport, particularly in regard to further suburban rail extensions and bus improvements.

On behalf of the Eastern Transport Coalition I discussed the need for planning around rail improvements in the eastern suburbs, namely the Rowville and Doncaster rail lines.

I also discussed the need for certainty around the infrastructure investments in the Central Activity Districts, particularly in regard to the public transport improvements that are required for Box Hill and Ringwood.

In addition I raised concerns over a reduction in the commitments made to the SmartBus network, despite the overwhelming response it has received through significant increases in patronage.

The SmartBus network was a key feature of the State Government’s 2006 transport plan, Meeting Our Transport Challenges. While Meeting Our Transport Challenges had its faults, the SmartBus network, which provides more frequent and longer operating bus services was positively received and record patronage increases have confirmed this.

In addition there has been a lack of further commitment towards upgrading bus frequencies and service spans. While investment and expansion of the rail network is important and definitely required it must be recognised that two thirds of Melbourne, including large parts of the outer eastern suburbs resides, beyond the rail network.

Lastly, I spoke about the Dandenong rail corridor and the lack of further commitment towards triplication of the Dandenong rail line. While debate exists about capacity constraints on the rail network, this project was seen as imperative just two years ago. If this situation has changed it is important that the government outlines how the Government has resolved these constraints and whether short-term improvements are possible.

While there are some positive steps in the State Government’s Victorian Transport Plan there is certainly a need for further commitments towards sustainability and public transport.