Valley View Aug/Sept 2014
Message from the Mayor
Council has endorsed the Essendon Junction Grade Separation Feasibility Study and will finalise the Essendon Junction Activity Centre Structure Plan based on the study. The study, which investigated the Craigieburn line where it passes through the junction, shows that moving the rail line under the road would provide better planning outcomes in the long term. Council will continue to work closely with VicTrack and the State Government to advocate for our preferred rail-under-road option. See page 8 for more details.
Council has approved its 2014/15 Annual Budget which commits significant funding to support various services for our community. The budget also allocates funds for building and upgrading millions of dollars worth of capital works including managing our ageing assets. It is always a delicate balance to get a budget right, and I thank those from whom we received feedback.
The Moonee Valley Seniors Festival is on again in October with lots of exciting events. The festival celebrates a positive ageing experience for older residents, with all events aimed at keeping seniors in Moonee Valley active and connected to their communities. If you haven’t attended before, I encourage you to take the plunge this year. Check page 5 for details.
Recently, we asked residents and visitors to Moonee Valley to tell us what they liked about our shopping precincts, and what areas they thought we could improve. We are fortunate to have so many great community spaces and it was terrific to get your feedback about them. These precincts are the heart of the community, building community spirit, offering economic diversity and providing a meeting place for social interaction. Council is working with businesses to make changes where we can from your feedback, so keep an eye out in your local shopping area!
It’s important to check your smoke alarms regularly to ensure they are in working order. Each year we see media coverage of house fires where people’s lives have been saved because they heard the smoke alarm and were able to get out. Remember, Council also has a Household Safety Plan to help you and your family prepare for emergencies.
Nominations for the Spirit of Moonee Valley Awards will close on Friday, 8 August. I encourage you to nominate someone who you believe deserves recognition for making positive contributions to our community. I’ve filmed a message outlining the process for nominating someone - watch it at youtube.com/mooneevalleycc where you’ll also find a message from last year’s Citizen of the Year Yvonne Kernan. I look forward to honouring the successful nominees at the awards ceremony in October.
On Friday, 19 September I will be opening the exhibition of works from the Mayor’s Urban Ecology Photo Competition. I invite you all to come along and see our community photographers’ achievements. Visit mvcc.vic.gov.au/ecophoto for details.
The Mayoral Charity Race Night will be on Friday, 3 October at Moonee Valley Racing Club. The annual event is always a fun night, whilst raising funds for local and international charities. Details will be available shortly, so keep an eye out. I hope to see you there!
Graffiti is a topic that lots of people don’t agree on. Some see it as art and others see it as vandalism, and in some cases that’s correct. I’d like to see dedicated graffiti sites available for our graffiti artists, rather than having signage and buildings constantly tagged. If you have any ideas or suggestions about this, please feel free to contact me.
Cr Jan Chantry
Moonee Valley Mayor
Council meeting dates
Public Forum
Tuesday, 12 August
Ordinary Council Meeting
Tuesday, 26 August
Public Forum
Tuesday, 9 September
Ordinary Council Meeting
Tuesday, 23 September
Public Forums start at 6pm. Ordinary Council Meetings start at 7pm.
Public Forums and Council Meetings take place at the Civic Centre, 9 Kellaway Avenue, Moonee Ponds. Access is through the Pascoe Vale Road entrance.
2014/15 Budget approved
On 24 June, Council approved its 2014/15 Annual Budget. Council has committed significant funding to support various services for individuals and families in our community.
We also maintain roads, parks, footpaths, bike paths, drains, sporting fields and community buildings; provide planning and building services, waste and recycling collections, and run a variety of environmental programs. We also build new facilities and centres, run an extensive community grants program and hold a large variety of community events; And the list goes on!
Council’s Capital Works program for 2014/15 will invest $29.9 million in community infrastructure including sporting and recreational facilities, open space and local roads. These projects include:
· $1.9 million – Aberfeldie Park Master Plan implementation
· $700,000 – Maribyrnong River Master Plan projects
· $290,000 – P.A Kirchner Reserve improvements
· $280,000 – Canning Reserve public toilets
· $105,000 – playground upgrades
· $145,000 – Better Moves Around Schools program
· $340,000 – Burley Griffin Neighbourhood Centre improvements
· $300,000 – Ascot Vale and East Keilor Leisure Centres improvements
· $380,000 – Lebanon Reserve Pavilion improvements
· $350,000 – Hopetoun Children’s Centre completion works
· $220,000 – Niddrie shopping precinct toilet upgrade
· $250,000 – Strathmore Tennis Club additional courts
· $350,000 – Strathnaver Reserve pavilion improvements
To view a copy of the 2014/15 Annual Budget, visit mvcc.vic.gov.au/budget
Your rates notice
Your 2014/15 rates notice will beposted out frommid-August. Rates are payable in quarterly instalments, with the first payment due on Tuesday, 30 September 2014.
You can now choose to pay your rates by Bpay View. Visit mvcc.vic.gov.au/rates for more information about rates and all payment options. If you do not receive your notice, please call 9243 8888.
Our recent achievements
· Launched a mobile-friendly version of our website – view mvcc.vic.gov.au on your smart phone or tablet today!
· Hosted our inaugural Community Groups Conference in late June, attended by over 70 community group representatives.
· Held a lunch for 100 Home and Community Care residents at an outreach event that educated residents about photo-electric fire alarms (some people were lucky enough to win one to take home).
· Our annual Gala Business Lunch with a star panel was a fabulous event where we’re sure everyone learnt a lot.
· Hundreds of residents enjoyed the sounds of Winter Music in the Valley sessions.
· Completed works at Sam Merrifield Library to give the space a refresh – we think it looks great!
· Held a pirate party (complete with treasure hunt) to open the new pirate ship playground at Riverside Park. Take the kids and jump on board today!
· Hosted our very first Sexuality and Gender Identity community forum. Discussions and insight from the forum will feed into an action plan. Visit mvcc.vic.gov.au/lgbtiq to find out more.
Discussing transport
The community is invited to a public forum on major transport developments that affect Moonee Valley residents in the lead up to the State election.
As a city in transition, managing our growing population and the increasing pressure on our transport systems is a major focus of Council. The MTF/Leader newspapers State Election: Transport Forum is therefore a timely opportunity to hear what the major parties have to say about transport issues and for residents to ask questions about local concerns.
Hear from speakers:
· Fred Ackerman, Liberal candidate for Essendon
· Colleen Hartland, Greens MLC Western Metro
· Danny Pearson, Labor candidate for Essendon
The topics being discussed include:
· East West Link and CityLink-Tullamarine widening
· Melbourne Airport public transport links
· Resolving the Buckley Street level crossing
· Improving public transport across all of Moonee Valley
When: Thursday, 28 August, 7pm-8.15pm
Where: Clocktower Centre, 750 Mt Alexander Road, Moonee Ponds
To RSVP, suggest a question and for more information visit transportforum.org.au/moonee_valley
Learning about our history
Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are warned that the following text contains the name of a person who is now deceased.
Council held its first Cultural Heritage Tour in June as part of a number of activities across National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week.
The tour was led by Uncle Bill Nicholson, Wurundjeri Elder and educator, and took in three sites: Brimbank Park, Maribyrnong River and Footscray. The tour provided a glimpse into Wurundjeri life and contemporary Aboriginal history and culture. The tour also included the homes of William Cooper, an important Aboriginal community leader and activist who lived from 1860 to 1941 and made a significant and lasting impact on Aboriginal rights in Australia.
Council will be holding more Cultural Heritage tours. Contact Council’s Community Planning Officer on 9243 8888 for details.
To find out about Council’s Reconciliation activities visit mvcc.vic.gov.au/reconciliation
Celebrating our recycling efforts
Well done to all the residents who have been recycling correctly! Council’s bin inspection program has found 80 per cent of residents recycling correctly in their yellow lid bin, and 89 per cent of residents recycling their garden waste correctly.
Your efforts are directly reducing the amount of material being sent to landfill, and we want this to continue! The inspection team has provided information about what can go in each bin to ensure your recycling and garden waste can be processed. So remember:
· Plastic bags don’t go in your yellow or green lid bins (even if they say they’re biodegradable or recyclable). Neither do textiles, nappies or shredded paper.
· Council operates additional recycling collections (Re-new, hard waste and branch and pruning) throughout the year.
· For what doesn’t fit in your bin or is outside of these collections, visit the Transfer Station to recycle more products throughout the year.
If you’re unsure about what should go in your recycling and garden waste bins, or to find out what you can recycle at the Transfer Station, check the back pages of your Council calendar, visit mvcc.vic.gov.au/waste or call Council on 9243 8888.
Moonee Valley Seniors Festival
Celebrating active ageing
Senior residents in Moonee Valley can again enjoy a month of free events and activities during the Moonee Valley Seniors Festival this October.
The festival celebrates a positive ageing experience for older residents, with all events aimed at keeping seniors in Moonee Valley active and connected to their communities.
Some of the many activities on offer include:
Mediterranean music and morning tea
When: Thursday, 2 October, 10.30am-12 noon
Where: Clocktower Centre, 750 Mt Alexander Road, Moonee Ponds
Enjoy morning tea and the musical talents of The Aeolian Players, Marcello and Pauline D’Amico, performing Italian and Mediterranean region traditional music. Bookings are essential. Contact 9243 8835 to reserve your seat.
Try out your local leisure centre!
When: Monday, 6 October, 1pm
Where: Windy Hill Fitness Centre, 74-84 Napier Street, Essendon
When: Friday, 17 October, 10.30am
Where: Ascot Vale Leisure Centre, Epsom Road, Ascot Vale
When: Monday, 27 October, 1pm
Where: East Keilor Leisure Centre, Quinn Grove, Keilor East
Learn about the benefits of exercising as you age, find out about seniors membership options, try some of the centres’ activities and sign up for a free trial pass. Complimentary refreshments will be provided.
Moonee Valley Memories
When: Wednesday, 8 October, 2pm-4pm
Where: Sam Merrifield Library, 762 Mt Alexander Road, Moonee Ponds
Share your memories of growing up, living or working in Moonee Valley, and contribute to the Moonee Valley Libraries Local History Project. Afternoon tea will be provided.
The Life and Times of Hugh Ramsey
When: Monday, 13 October, 10am and 2pm
Where: Incinerator Gallery, 180 Holmes Road, Moonee Ponds
This fascinating talk by Gregory Smith, president of the Victorian Artists Society, will explore the short life of Essendon’s most famous painter Hugh Ramsey. RSVPs are essential. Please call 8325 1750 to reserve your place.
Free movie at Village Cinemas
When: Session 1 – Friday, 17 October, 10.30am
Session 2 – Wednesday, 29 October, 1.30pm
Where: Village Cinemas, Westfield Airport West
Enjoy a complimentary screening of a new release blockbuster movie. Show your Seniors Card at either of the allocated session times for free entry. Places are limited. Further details about these screenings will be posted on our website closer to the dates.
Strathmore Men’s Shed come and try
When: Monday, 20 October, 10am-12 noon
Where: Strathmore Heights Community Centre, 1 Boeing Road, Strathmore Heights
With spring upon us, what better time to build your own planter box! At this free Moonee Valley Men’s Shed workshop a facilitator will guide you through how to build a planter box that can be used to grow vegetables or herbs.
Morning activities with the grandkids
When: Wednesday, 22 October, 9.30am-12 noon
Where: Rhonda Davis Centre, 54 Lake Street, Avondale Heights
Enjoy a fun morning for grandparents and their grandchildren, with activities for all ages! See the animals at the animal farm, let your imagination soar during story time and enjoy a yummy morning tea.
Flemington Community Centre Expo
When: Wednesday, 22 October, 10am-12 noon
Where: Flemington Community Centre, 25 Mt Alexander Road, Flemington
Experience all that Flemington Community Centre has to offer with Chinese dancers, a community choir and delicious African cuisine. The expo will also include stall holders from local service providers.
For further details about the Moonee Valley Seniors Festival, including a full calendar of events and activities, visit mvcc.vic.gov.au/seniorsfestival or call Council on 9243 8888.
Draft Heritage Gap Study
Over the past six months Council has been working on a draft heritage survey, called the Heritage Gap Study.
This study is preliminary research conducted by heritage experts who surveyed all properties in the local area to identify which ones require further investigation in the future.
This study aims to:
· identify gaps in Moonee Valley’s heritage protection by identifying all places dating from the time of European contact which are of potential heritage value and not protected on a Heritage Overlay
· provide a prioritised work program that may be used to guide which heritage studies should be undertaken in the future
This study does not:
· recommend any heritage overlays
· provide a detailed assessment of each identified place
· commit Council to any further heritage work