The Parks
The first series of photos have been taken for photo posts at Bradshaw Park. The photos are developed in Mentone free of charge. Mentone Park Primary School attended a planting day. Ron donated 50 plants to Bradshaw Park.
Christine Cama, President of the Braeside Park Friends Group has unfortunately resigned after five years of battling bureaucracy. She will be missed. A $5910 Grant from Parks Victoria was received and will be used for salinity control by intensively planting trees to lower the ground water. $2000 worth of plants have been sold by the Friends Group. There has been no response from Geoffrey Leigh after repeated requests for funds to establish a litter trap on the Dingley Drain. AGM August 22 1999 at the Braeside Visitors Centre. P.S. The Bicycle Hire service at Braeside has folded. Bring your own bikes! Dingley Primary School was involved in planting on Arbor Day at Rowan Woodlands.
Woodlands Industrial Estate
Work is proceeding on Lake One on the north east corner of the Industrial Estate. The plan is to drain the very deep borrow pit, clay line the bottom, use bio-solids from the Carrum Treatment Plant for fill and place a clay lining over the bio-solids. It is claimed that there will be no problem with this proposal. Interested groups were invited to inspect the site and the treatment plant on Sunday 18th July.
Communication Tower at Mordialloc Hospital Site
Mara reported on Kingston Council’s intention to place a 90 ft communication tower on this site. Nearby residents objected on visual and health grounds and the possibility that Optus or Vodaphone may also seek approval to use the tower.
Greenhouse Emissions / Climate Change
Nina and Brian organised for the Cities for Climate Change kit to be sent to Kingston Council. The Cities of Greater Dandenong, Frankston and Port Phillip are members but so far the Council and their Environment Officers are not showing any interest. MBCL has recently asked the Officers if they would considering participating. A letter has been sent to the CEO suggesting that Kingston participate in the campaign.
Public Transport / Car Parking Fees at Suburban Stations
Johanna has carried out a survey of public transport users at local stations. The consensus seems to be that commuters want all stations manned and safety improved.
We appreciate Johanna’s work on the Web site for MBCL and also look forward to her report on flooding in Busselton WA where a local Council had approved a residential development on a flood plain. Residents are planning to sue the Council. Kingston Council please note!
CRAMMED
Janelle House was successful in arranging for the Planning Minister to inspect the over- development of large areas of Chelsea and then meet with the Kingston Council hierarchy on the 4th June at Mentone Council Chambers. An interesting meeting indeed! MBCL and KCEC will be networking with CRAMMED over the lifting and reviewing of height limits in the City of Kingston. CRAMMED have been invited to the KCEC meeting at the Moorabbin Arts Centre 5th July 1999 7.30pm. Please come along if you have concerns about over-development, height limits and proposals for hotel developments in the Mordialloc Activity Node.
Mordialloc Activity Node Kingston Foreshore Strategy
We are pleased that Kingston Strategic Planners are preparing a strategic plan for the Activity Node and state that they won’t consider any developments until the study has been finalised. However certain local shop keepers have a “dream” which involves intense development for the area. It is to be expected that developers who have savaged foreshore precincts at Port Melbourne and St Kilda will look for fresh fields to “improve” for the community. It needs to be asked – Which “community’ precisely? Developers, shop keepers or residents???? We are pleased that the Strategic planners are preparing the study “in-house” having become somewhat disillusioned with outside consultants work especially when they live outside the community and don’t have the historic background to the area and local knowledge. We must insist on extensive community consultation in future.