Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Carnegie Pool - uncertain future.


From today's Leader

SWIMMERS fear the Carnegie pool will close with the imminent opening of the new multi-million dollar Glen Eira Sports and Aquatic Centre.

Resident Mischa Brus said many swimmers were worried the pool in Moira Ave would become defunct soon after the Bentleigh East centre was completed.Mrs Brus, who takes her four-year-old daughter Eviana to swim classes at the Carnegie pool, said there were no advertisements for the Carnegie pool, but plenty of publicity for GESAC.

“It’s like they’re leaving the Carnegie pool for dead,” Mrs Brus said.

“They’re putting in so much effort into GESAC, but no effort into advertising the Carnegie pool.

“There’s a feeling that they don’t care.”

Cr Neil Pilling has called for assurances the Carnegie pool would remain open and for $1 million to maintain it (”Centre needs cash”, the Leader, January 5, 2010).

“It’s an ongoing issue,” Cr Pilling said this week.

“Last year, council passed a motion saying they value the pool, but nothing is definite, nothing will become clear until a year or two after GESAC opens.

“It needs to be refurbished, it’s getting more and more rundown every year.

“We need to do something soon.”

Glen Eira Mayor Jamie Hyams said there were “absolutely no plans” to close the Carnegie pool.

Comment: Like hundreds of other residents I enjoyed a great fun day at the pool over last weekend's hot spell. The spacious surrounds compliment this valued community asset. This issue will have to be decided in the next term- I have and will remain committed to the retaining and refurbishment of our local pool.

Friday, January 27, 2012

2012 Council elections - postal or attendance?

One of the important decisions that will be made soon by Glen Eira and all other councils in the near future is the type of election - postal or attendance that will be conducted at this years local govt elections in October this year.

I will be favouring an attendance election as similar as conducted for all state and federal elections. History has shown in Glen Eira and elsewhere that an attendance election greatly reduces the number of dummy candidates standing only to feed preferences to other candidates.

Those who remember the 2005 postal election in Glen Eira will attest to the over twenty candidates per ward that stood , many to be fair to say weren't genuine.

This situation was greatly improved in the 2008 attendence election where it has to be said residents were voting for real candidates who were able to engage at least sufficient community support to staff polling booths.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Council meeting items and the issue of Confidentialty

The seemingly burgeoning amount of in-camera (confidentfial) agenda items not only here in Glen Eira but also in other municipalities including the City of Melbourne where a recent meeting had less than twenty mins of public discussion has been highlighted recently. I acknowledge the concerns raised on this issue by the local website Glen Eira debates.

Yesterday I raised the following points with other Crs and the CEO.

-"One of the issues for Glen Eira in 2012 is how to address the seemingly increasing amount of confidential items that are held in the in-camera section of the meeting agenda- increasingly so over the past few years.

Our aim as a Council should be to reduce this to the essential minimum so as to allow for as maximum public discussion as possible on agenda items.

Whilst I acknowledge that there are instances such as business tenders and OH @ S issues that require confidentiality I feel that there needs to be far greater efforts in keeping other items in the public agenda.

Other councils such as Port Phillip if necessary spilt the item in two to allow for public discussion.

At each of the pre-meeting assemblies there should be an improved discussion and questioning as to the why and of the need for any proposed confidential agenda item,"

Friday, January 6, 2012

Party in the Park - Princes Park Sun Jan 15th


Princes Park
Sunday 15 January 12pm–4pm
Hawthorn Road, Caulfield South
Melways reference: 67 H7

The first community event for the year will be held next Sunday week and is outlined from Council's homepage below;

Party in the Park at Princes Park is a free day of family fun and entertainment hosted by master of mime, Jack Dan.

Join Blinky Bill as he sings and dances his way through a musical adventure show, which features terrific bush tunes, interactive singing, dancing, activities and the slapstick comedy for which Blinky Bill is most famous. Then step into the theatrical past and the golden age of magic with The Carnival of Dreams — an entertaining and mystifying stage show of magic, illusion, movement and conjuring in a cabaret and vaudevillian style. In The Carnival of Dreams, Madotti and Vegas bring over 10 years of magic experience to the stage, having performed in Berlin, Japan, Hong Kong and throughout Australia.

Come and see the amazing stilt-walking Praying Mantis, who comes from a world where blades of grass grow above your head and insects are bigger than cars. Gorgeous, feminine and fantastical, the highly skilled stilt-walking flowers are cheeky, flirtatious and elegant.

Activities include jumping castle, art and craft activities for children, community information stalls, food stalls, magic workshops, balloons and much more!