WINTER NEWSLETTER 2007
Caulfield Racecourse Reserve
Despite our lack of a newsletter this year we hope you have seen our several letters to The Leader about the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve (CRR) and the latest Community Plan.
Our thanks go to The Leader for not only printing our letters advocating greater public access to the CRR on non-race-days but for also publishing with them wonderful photographs of the Reserve and its spaces used almost entirely for horse racing and training of over 400 horses - all of this when the Crown Grant states the Reserve's purpose is 'a Race Course Public Recreation and Public Park'.
Our Council, too, has been unanimous in its support for greater use and visibility of the Crown Land occupied by the Caulfield Racecourse. It is not generally realized that the Racing Club grandstands and associated facilities are on part of the Reserve, for which they pay almost nothing to the Trustees, whilst the Club sub-lets part of this land to Monash University for car-parking. Two racing stables are also located on the Reserve.
To make matters worse, the latest Master Plan prepared by the Racing Club, despite making known our desires for improved visibility, access and use of the Reserve as a Public Park on non-race-days, the Master Plan proposes access via a pedestrian tunnel merely to a segregated area on a northern section of the Reserve for public park purposes.
We are not against horse racing but this proposal is quite unacceptable to us when the Club allows its clients access for their commercial shows (not a purpose of the Grant) via their vehicle tunnel direct to the Reserve. They prove by this that access and use of the Reserve is quite practical for public access and recreational purposes despite horse training in the Reserve.
Nevertheless, the Master Plan is not yet approved. Questions to the Auditor General have been fruitless as we are informed that his authority does not extend to racecourse Trustees. So at present, we have no recourse but to put our questions regarding a more equitable balance between use of the Reserve as a Race course and use for Public Recreation and Public Park to the Victorian Ombudsman.
Glen Eira Community Plan
Our written submission to the revision of the Community Plan for the next financial year made the point that 14 days notice was quite impractical for community organisations to respond in that time frame. So we welcome the CEO's intent to undertake a full community planning process during the first half of the 2007/08 year for the Community Plan commencing in July 2008. This would be a valuable resource for the new Council to begin after the Council election later in 2008. We made the point that it should be part of every Community Plan to consult on the next year's plan well ahead, in this way, to allow sufficient time for proper consultation.
We also submitted that too many Council objectives were not spelt out in measurable terms - and when they were as in water usage, 15% less than in year 2000, which just looks too easy. We also submitted that there should be targets set for reduction in power and fuel use, setting an example for all of us to reduce our carbon dioxide waste.
Finally we commented on the seemingly permanent failure to finish capital projects on time especially when money is being raised mainly through rate increases for capital expenditure in the next year which increases from 30% to 39% of total funds raised.
As usual, we saw no change in the Plan as a result of our submission.
Caulfield Park Pavilion
In recent months we have witnessed again the consequences of inadequate attention to community consultation continuing to be practiced by Council over this project inevitably resulting in break down in good relations between Council and Park users, plus expensive delay to a project aimed at benefiting the public.
Analysis of a 'blue paper', issued By Council at the special 'Information' meeting held in Packer Park, showed that when public consultation is condensed and expressed in general terms to which master plans are often limited, the intent of the master plan is often inadequately defined and can mean different things to different people. Unexpressed intents can be clothed in generalities, generalities which in the hands of professionals can be developed to specifics unrecognizable by the community originally consulted.
The moral is that the older the master plan - between its birth and development - the greater is the hazard of this occurring and without information to the community, dissent becomes inevitable.
The dissent was expressed in strong terms at the March 27 information meeting with a wide section of the community and park users advising Council to review their decision. At the subsequent Council meeting in April, a review was agreed (by a small majority) including preparation of 2 alternative designs for further consideration. However a new community Group, Friends of Caulfield Park, has been formed. An objection to VCAT is listed for 16 July.
GERA representatives were among those objecting to the proposal on the grounds of loss of park space for a building enlarged for meeting rooms, unnecessary in a park and which require more space for car parking.
The moral for Councillors is to keep the public informed at all stages ,especially at the design stage through the presentation of models and cost estimates of alternatives with compelling reasons behind the decision for the chosen development.
Everyone wants to see decent change room facilities for sporting teams but additional space for roads and car parking in park land seems to emphasise an attitude that open space is regarded as available for development- land at no cost when to the community, park land is probably the most valuable of all community assets.
It also draws attention to the fact that Council depots for parking trucks and other equipment should not be placed in parkland. Look at Melway map No.59, B?C 11/12 and you will note the Depot space is not shown in the park. That is the way it should be. That Depot should not be in park land.
Consultation- Making it Work
GERA committee at last years end had planned a special public meeting aimed at improving Council procedures for consulting the community. The experience over the Caulfield Park Pavilion emphasized this need and resulted in our decision to try and conduct a forum in conjunction with Council, with Council participating in the forum's design and selection of speakers and facilitator.
Accordingly we have applied for a Community Grant for $5000, "to achieve through public meetings in conjunction with Council, the aim of developing consultative processes that are practical and acceptable to both Council and community".
We have been advised that it is expected it will be late September when we receive advice about the outcome of our application. This is disappointing because we had hoped to conduct this Forum before the CEO's planned wide consultation over the 2008 Community Plan intended for August and September this year. With the aid of a professional facilitator we envisage a full day program, with mixed groups of community and Council representatives discussing the most practical and effective methods for consultation followed by presentation in a plenary session to reach acceptable conclusions.
Senior Citizens Register
Resulting from an initiative by Victoria Police and former Cr. Martens, GERA has been invited to assist in the compilation of a Senior Citizens Register in Glen Eira. This register is modeled on a successful application in Rosebud. where volunteers operating from a central base, compile a register of all residents over 65 years of age, with special attention to those living alone.Volunteers then maintain contact with them and help in arranging services which they may require.
One of GERA's purposes is, "to promote and foster volunteerism within the municipality of Glen Eira" and because our membership is based on all of Glen Eira,our committee was honoured to accept this invitation. GERA has accepted the invitation to become the registered owner of a new motorcar which has been gifted for use by volunteers and whose costs will be fully funded by Victoria Police. Volunteers, and the car, will be located at a house at the former Murrumbeena Police Station, the house being furnished with computers and desks etc by Glen Eira Council. Already one of our committee members has offered to become a volunteer.
You will see more of this in July's Glen Eira News and the Leader and please contact us if you are interested in joining the list of volunteers for this Register which we hope will improve the ability to maintain contact and provide ready help particularly for residents living alone.
Membership News
To keep up with the need for more frequent communication with members and the cost of modern communications through E-mail and website over the last ten years, our committee has moved to increase our membership fee to $20 per member. Do pass our news on to friends and neighbors as we are trying to expand our membership.
Jack Campbell.
June 2007
Please let us know your thoughts and opinions on any issues by E-mail to: ed@gleneiraresidents.org.au