The Mulgrave House people have kindly put up the coming timetable of courses that will be available the Neighourhood House after it opens in July.
The list can be viewed here
For further updates check links on the side.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Thursday, May 24, 2007
News from Notting Hill - May
It is a busy time in the suburb
Survey and Petition
Survey and Petition
Doorknockers are visiting every house seeking signatures for our petition on the school closures and sell off of the land. At the same time they will be conducting a survey of households to find out how many school age children there really are in the suburb – and whether this fits with what the Education department claims.
This information may be matched with the census data due out soon to give an accurate picture of who lives in Notting Hill and from this what their needs are. The reason for the survey is a strong suspicion that the data used for making decision about schools and other services is extremely out of date and probably inaccurate or deliberately misrepresented to justify Government decisions. Recently we sought information from the Education Department under Freedom of Information on the basis for their decision making. The result was pretty paltry and does not give us any confidence in the quality or relevance of data used.
Liveability Coalition
Planning is continuing for the big meeting planned now for late July or August. More local community groups are joining to together to increase the awareness of the threats to liveability in the City of Monash by inappropriate, ill-conceived development and the apparent inability of the State Government and impotent local councils to admit that their planning measures are missing the target. Link
Native Vegetation Repair
The work on restoring native vegetation is proceeding quickly with the help of the grounds staff from Monash University. A working day will be held in early June to plant trees and other plants in the wetlands area owned by the University along the gully or former creek.
Donations have provided the seedlings and some of the tools while Monash staff is preparing the ground for planting.
The Neighbour House
Work is proceeding to open the Neighbourhood House – where the kindergarten used to be in Westerfield near the shops – in July. See previous post. Link
Computers have been donated from Monash University and furniture and chairs have been sourced and are now in storage awaiting the opening. The Monash Council is to carry out renovations.
Community Garden Proposal
The community garden proposal continues. The Monash Council has provided some in principle support for a community garden and suggested a block for a community garden. Unfortunately this block is not viable. The block of land suggested is at the back or rear of the Pinewood nursery on Blackburn Road opposite the Pinewood Shopping Centre.
This is too far away for Notting Hill residents. The garden should be within walking distance of people’s residences.
It is several kilometres away and across two major arterial roads and a motorway. Thanks but no thanks.
Liveability Coalition
Planning is continuing for the big meeting planned now for late July or August. More local community groups are joining to together to increase the awareness of the threats to liveability in the City of Monash by inappropriate, ill-conceived development and the apparent inability of the State Government and impotent local councils to admit that their planning measures are missing the target. Link
Native Vegetation Repair
The work on restoring native vegetation is proceeding quickly with the help of the grounds staff from Monash University. A working day will be held in early June to plant trees and other plants in the wetlands area owned by the University along the gully or former creek.
Donations have provided the seedlings and some of the tools while Monash staff is preparing the ground for planting.
The Neighbour House
Work is proceeding to open the Neighbourhood House – where the kindergarten used to be in Westerfield near the shops – in July. See previous post. Link
Computers have been donated from Monash University and furniture and chairs have been sourced and are now in storage awaiting the opening. The Monash Council is to carry out renovations.
Community Garden Proposal
The community garden proposal continues. The Monash Council has provided some in principle support for a community garden and suggested a block for a community garden. Unfortunately this block is not viable. The block of land suggested is at the back or rear of the Pinewood nursery on Blackburn Road opposite the Pinewood Shopping Centre.
This is too far away for Notting Hill residents. The garden should be within walking distance of people’s residences.
It is several kilometres away and across two major arterial roads and a motorway. Thanks but no thanks.
We are asking for something more appropriate and able to be easily used and enjoyed by Notting Hill community gardeners. I plan to letterbox all gardeners and organise a meeting in the new Neighbourhood House.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Debate over Public Inquiry in Public Land Sales and Where Dogs Don't Bite
It was with these words that politician, Matthew Guy a member of Victoria Legislative Council opened debate on setting up the inquiry into public land for development (Permanent link on the left)
"We are in the first decade of a new century and already it is clear that communities and Victorians are becoming more and more concerned with the naturaland built environments that surround us.
Victorians are taking a keener interest in the form and style of our city that is our capital, and the character of the country and regional towns that make up our great state.
Importantly Victorians are taking a much more proactive interest in the character of the neighbourhoods in which they live and in the preservation of the existing public open space in those cities and towns.
But since the turn of the century it is clear that public open space has come under attack. It has become a commodity to sell or develop, rather than to preserve.
As land prices have risen dramatically across the city over the last few years, principally near central activities areas, and moreover due to the establishment of a rigid urban growth boundary, the state government appears to have become a land speculator with its public land holdings.
Unfortunately public open space has become more of a line item in the Department of Treasury and Finance’s Excel spreadsheets first and a public, economic and social asset second.
This motion has been put forward for debate today to establish this select committee in the hope that this chamber will view this issue with exceptional importance, because once open space is lost, as we all know, it cannot be replaced.
Further, it is clear that the Bracks government is disposing public land across the state in order to get a quick financial gain with little or no regard to the open space that is being lost forever".
Notting Hill had a mention during the debate too.
Some of it here:
"Another example I would like to draw to the house’s attention is the suburb of Notting Hill. It was Australia’s first preplanned neighbourhood, if you like, the first estate built by renowned builder AVJennings.
It is a quiet, peaceful suburb with kids, families and people kicking the footy in the street.
It is a place where the dogs do not bite.
It is a place where people can live what many of us would regard as the great Australian dream, with a house on a block of land in the suburbs, where the neighbours are all still friendly to each other.
However, Notting Hill is under siege, as residents know. In the last four years they have lost their day care centre, their kindergarten, their primary school and their secondary school.
Unfortunately when AVJennings built the estate it ran out of money, and the public land in the middle of the estate that was set aside to be a park never eventuated.
As I stated, both the primary and secondary schools recently closed. It was those two schools that the community used as public open space. Realising that they were under siege, members of the community rallied together.
They went to the local council and presented a plan for part of the site of the now closed secondary school to be used as public open space, because their suburb does not have any left.
The council went to the government and was told that this was not a problem, so long as the council paid market rates for the land.
This was a wild and ridiculous suggestion, as the government knew no council could
possibly afford to do so. Why would the government not want these two school sites sold to the highest bidder?
It is because, irrespective of the fact that no open space now exists in this small suburb, according to the Melbourne 2030 document the land on which the two schools are located is right in the middle of the Monash University health research precinct.
So it is not just an average surplus-to-government-requirements school sale anymore. It is a couple of plots of public land that are now worth millions upon millions of dollars more than they would be if they were schools stuck out in the suburbs somewhere else.
Land on the edge of Notting Hill is already being sold for high-rise student accommodation. Right next to the old secondary school is land that is being sold to have new office blocks of four or five storeys. So the sale of the high school by this government, so pious about its record in education, is because the government has seen the flashing dollar sign first.
Like Kew Cottages, there is more to this story than meets the eye. I am informed by the residents that the school closed on 22 December last year for good.
By the end of January 2007 it was already deemed surplus to government requirements. It was not even a month later. This means that the Department of Education (DOE) had written to all other government departments and offered the land to them. After receiving replies it had then gone to all other schools in the area and offered it to them and got replies back.
This was all done over the Christmas period. Then it declared the school surplus.
Are we seriously expected to believe that the process to declare this school surplus was
conducted by DOE over the Christmas period, that it contacted all involved and it was done inthe proper way?
There is more about Notting Hill that we need to know about. A German school was approached and it became interested in establishing what is called a co-host school similar to, I am informed, one in Caroline Springs at the old primary school site. Surprisingly, the Department of
Education refused to meet or talk to that school.
When the Germans left a Chinese group came in. The department refused to talk to that group as well.
We are talking about a school site a couple of kilometres away from Clayton and Springvale where those communities have large numbers.
We should not be surprised. As I mentioned earlier, it is becoming clearer to all of us that DOE does not want to talk to any of these people because the monetary value of these sites is more important than the actual use of the school.
I should inform the house at this point that the Notting Hill residents association contacted their local MP, Hong Lim, the member for Clayton in the other place.
The association never received a reply and it did not contact him once but multiple times. It also sent over 130 letters to the then Minister for Education and Training, Lynne Kosky, now the Minister for Public Education.
Ms Kosky appeared to have the same attitude in education as she does in transport because
she did not want to hear about its letters; more than 130 letters were sent to her but she did not reply to a single one.
So Notting Hill is set to be a small suburb with no schools, no shops and now no public open space. The public land has been entirely sold off for development over the last few years because the state government is obsessed with being a land speculator first. It is a suburb that will now have all the hallmarks of Melbourne 2030 — what the minister and this government want — with hundreds of additional people living in the suburb but with vastly reduced open space".
Full debate available at:
http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/council/publicland/Proof%20Hansard.pdf
"We are in the first decade of a new century and already it is clear that communities and Victorians are becoming more and more concerned with the naturaland built environments that surround us.
Victorians are taking a keener interest in the form and style of our city that is our capital, and the character of the country and regional towns that make up our great state.
Importantly Victorians are taking a much more proactive interest in the character of the neighbourhoods in which they live and in the preservation of the existing public open space in those cities and towns.
But since the turn of the century it is clear that public open space has come under attack. It has become a commodity to sell or develop, rather than to preserve.
As land prices have risen dramatically across the city over the last few years, principally near central activities areas, and moreover due to the establishment of a rigid urban growth boundary, the state government appears to have become a land speculator with its public land holdings.
Unfortunately public open space has become more of a line item in the Department of Treasury and Finance’s Excel spreadsheets first and a public, economic and social asset second.
This motion has been put forward for debate today to establish this select committee in the hope that this chamber will view this issue with exceptional importance, because once open space is lost, as we all know, it cannot be replaced.
Further, it is clear that the Bracks government is disposing public land across the state in order to get a quick financial gain with little or no regard to the open space that is being lost forever".
Notting Hill had a mention during the debate too.
Some of it here:
"Another example I would like to draw to the house’s attention is the suburb of Notting Hill. It was Australia’s first preplanned neighbourhood, if you like, the first estate built by renowned builder AVJennings.
It is a quiet, peaceful suburb with kids, families and people kicking the footy in the street.
It is a place where the dogs do not bite.
It is a place where people can live what many of us would regard as the great Australian dream, with a house on a block of land in the suburbs, where the neighbours are all still friendly to each other.
However, Notting Hill is under siege, as residents know. In the last four years they have lost their day care centre, their kindergarten, their primary school and their secondary school.
Unfortunately when AVJennings built the estate it ran out of money, and the public land in the middle of the estate that was set aside to be a park never eventuated.
As I stated, both the primary and secondary schools recently closed. It was those two schools that the community used as public open space. Realising that they were under siege, members of the community rallied together.
They went to the local council and presented a plan for part of the site of the now closed secondary school to be used as public open space, because their suburb does not have any left.
The council went to the government and was told that this was not a problem, so long as the council paid market rates for the land.
This was a wild and ridiculous suggestion, as the government knew no council could
possibly afford to do so. Why would the government not want these two school sites sold to the highest bidder?
It is because, irrespective of the fact that no open space now exists in this small suburb, according to the Melbourne 2030 document the land on which the two schools are located is right in the middle of the Monash University health research precinct.
So it is not just an average surplus-to-government-requirements school sale anymore. It is a couple of plots of public land that are now worth millions upon millions of dollars more than they would be if they were schools stuck out in the suburbs somewhere else.
Land on the edge of Notting Hill is already being sold for high-rise student accommodation. Right next to the old secondary school is land that is being sold to have new office blocks of four or five storeys. So the sale of the high school by this government, so pious about its record in education, is because the government has seen the flashing dollar sign first.
Like Kew Cottages, there is more to this story than meets the eye. I am informed by the residents that the school closed on 22 December last year for good.
By the end of January 2007 it was already deemed surplus to government requirements. It was not even a month later. This means that the Department of Education (DOE) had written to all other government departments and offered the land to them. After receiving replies it had then gone to all other schools in the area and offered it to them and got replies back.
This was all done over the Christmas period. Then it declared the school surplus.
Are we seriously expected to believe that the process to declare this school surplus was
conducted by DOE over the Christmas period, that it contacted all involved and it was done inthe proper way?
There is more about Notting Hill that we need to know about. A German school was approached and it became interested in establishing what is called a co-host school similar to, I am informed, one in Caroline Springs at the old primary school site. Surprisingly, the Department of
Education refused to meet or talk to that school.
When the Germans left a Chinese group came in. The department refused to talk to that group as well.
We are talking about a school site a couple of kilometres away from Clayton and Springvale where those communities have large numbers.
We should not be surprised. As I mentioned earlier, it is becoming clearer to all of us that DOE does not want to talk to any of these people because the monetary value of these sites is more important than the actual use of the school.
I should inform the house at this point that the Notting Hill residents association contacted their local MP, Hong Lim, the member for Clayton in the other place.
The association never received a reply and it did not contact him once but multiple times. It also sent over 130 letters to the then Minister for Education and Training, Lynne Kosky, now the Minister for Public Education.
Ms Kosky appeared to have the same attitude in education as she does in transport because
she did not want to hear about its letters; more than 130 letters were sent to her but she did not reply to a single one.
So Notting Hill is set to be a small suburb with no schools, no shops and now no public open space. The public land has been entirely sold off for development over the last few years because the state government is obsessed with being a land speculator first. It is a suburb that will now have all the hallmarks of Melbourne 2030 — what the minister and this government want — with hundreds of additional people living in the suburb but with vastly reduced open space".
Full debate available at:
http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/council/publicland/Proof%20Hansard.pdf
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Inquiry Launched into Sale of Public Land for Development
From the Age newspaper
Inquiry launched into sale of public land for development
David Rood and Royce Millar May 3, 2007
MELBOURNE'S controversial 2030 planning policy will come under scrutiny following the establishment of an inquiry into the Government's sale of public land for development.
Flexing their muscle in the Victorian upper house, the Opposition parties established the potentially embarrassing inquiry yesterday.
The inquiry, initiated by the Liberals, will investigate the sale and development of public land and the relationship to Melbourne's 2030 planning policy and Green Wedges.
More at link
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/05/02/1177788225256.html
Details of the Committee are now available at:
http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/council/publicland/
Terms of Reference for the Inquiry are at:
http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/council/publicland/tor.html
Inquiry launched into sale of public land for development
David Rood and Royce Millar May 3, 2007
MELBOURNE'S controversial 2030 planning policy will come under scrutiny following the establishment of an inquiry into the Government's sale of public land for development.
Flexing their muscle in the Victorian upper house, the Opposition parties established the potentially embarrassing inquiry yesterday.
The inquiry, initiated by the Liberals, will investigate the sale and development of public land and the relationship to Melbourne's 2030 planning policy and Green Wedges.
More at link
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/05/02/1177788225256.html
Details of the Committee are now available at:
http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/council/publicland/
Terms of Reference for the Inquiry are at:
http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/council/publicland/tor.html
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
$75 Million To Plan An Even More Liveable Victoria
From Our State Government - Budget Time Propaganda
From the MINISTER FOR PLANNING
Projects to rejuvenate major suburban centres and meet the challenges of population growth are the focus of a $75 million plan to keep Victoria a great place to live, work and raise a family.
Planning Minister Justin Madden said the 2007-08 State Budget delivered on the Bracks Government’s commitment to meet the challenge of planning for a growing population.
“Since 1999, the Government has legislated to protect Melbourne’s precious Green Wedges, direct housing to where new communities can access schools, shops and transport, and streamlined planning processes,” he said.
“We made a commitment to help councils implement the Melbourne 2030 blueprint to manage growth over the next 30 years. “We also promised to give local government the tools and expertise needed to update and strengthen local planning schemes so that communities, developers and councils have greater certainty about what is allowed.
“Today we are delivering on those promises, with funding to facilitate investment, boost local economies, create jobs and make Victoria an even more attractive place to raise a family.”
There is more - it goes on and on
go to
http://www.budget.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/Budgets/budget07.nsf/d6e571e551bef80eca2572bb002bcea7/4463a6eef077dcb2ca2572cd0037908f!OpenDocument
What do people think
Projects to rejuvenate major suburban centres and meet the challenges of population growth are the focus of a $75 million plan to keep Victoria a great place to live, work and raise a family.
Planning Minister Justin Madden said the 2007-08 State Budget delivered on the Bracks Government’s commitment to meet the challenge of planning for a growing population.
“Since 1999, the Government has legislated to protect Melbourne’s precious Green Wedges, direct housing to where new communities can access schools, shops and transport, and streamlined planning processes,” he said.
“We made a commitment to help councils implement the Melbourne 2030 blueprint to manage growth over the next 30 years. “We also promised to give local government the tools and expertise needed to update and strengthen local planning schemes so that communities, developers and councils have greater certainty about what is allowed.
“Today we are delivering on those promises, with funding to facilitate investment, boost local economies, create jobs and make Victoria an even more attractive place to raise a family.”
There is more - it goes on and on
go to
http://www.budget.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/Budgets/budget07.nsf/d6e571e551bef80eca2572bb002bcea7/4463a6eef077dcb2ca2572cd0037908f!OpenDocument
What do people think
Thursday, April 26, 2007
The Notty Blogger is back
I have been overseas in Hong Kong and China in past weeks but I return with a new sense of wonder at the how the human species is taking over urban spaces. You might call it the Hong Kong 3D urban dystopic withdrawal.
Back in suburbia it is different - even safe - or is it? Confessions of Ballard fan.
"The system is self-regulating. It relies on our sense of civic responsibility. Without that, society would collapse. In fact, the collapse may even have begun.” J.G. Ballard. Millennium People (2003; p. 104).
A Ballardian view of recent events in the suburbs of Melbourne
LINK
Friday, March 30, 2007
The Outcome from Our Monash Groups Meeting
MEDIA RELEASE
30 March 2007
THE MONASH LIVEABILITY COALITION
KEEP MONASH LIVEABLE
(SPACES AND PLACES FOR PEOPLE)
Residents, Theatre & Sporting Groups from various suburbs within the City of
Monash area met last night to discuss their concerns at the loss of Open Space
created by the closure of schools in the area, and the development of their sites as
medium to high density housing.
The meeting heard Dr Bob Birrell from the Monash School of Social Inquiry explain
his concerns about the Victorian Government’s failure to provide living and
recreational space to meet the needs of suburbs with rapidly rising populations.
The meeting also discussed other issues relating to the increased density of
population within Monash, including traffic congestion and potential water shortages.
The Residents’ Groups represented at the meeting decided to form a Coalition to
address all of these issues within the Monash context.
It was also agreed that all Groups support Councillor Gerry Koteck’s decision to
oppose the re-zoning of the Notting Hill Primary School Site in light of the multiple
school closures and lack of future planning within the Westerfield Estate - Notting Hill.
They are planning petitions to both the City Council and the Victorian Parliament
concerning public use of land and facilities, and a Working Group will meet in May to
plan a large Public Meeting ‘To Make Monash More Liveable’.
Should you or any members of your Group wish to participate in this united Coalition,
please contact your local Residents Action Group, Rate Payers Association or Marion
Quartly (NHCA) Ph: 9561 3975 or Melinda Ashton (NHCA) Ph: 9561 5131
Notting Hill Community Association
Thursday, March 29, 2007
More open space push - Local Newspaper
The Waverley Leader Newspaper publishes this:
More open space push
Andrew Miller
27Mar07
THE State Government and Monash Council should share the blame for the city's woeful record on open space and spend the millions reaped in developer contributions to secure more land, campaigners say.
The Notting Hill and Brandon Park resident action groups have questioned the council's decision to spend $4.3 million gathered from mandatory developer contributions in the past four years on upgrading parks, reserves and recreational facilities.
Notting Hill Action Group spokeswoman Melinda Ashton said the council should have used the money to buy more land.''Once again, the population is increasing and there has been nothing set aside,'' she said.Australian Research Centre for Urban Ecology figures show Monash has only 7.4 hectares of public open space for every 1000 residents one of the lowest ratios in Melbourne.
The Government is expected to this year sell land from five Monash schools, four of which have closed, and open space campaigners want up to 10 per cent set aside for parks.Council can take 5 per cent of the value of the land being developed or ask that 5 per cent be set aside for recreational use.Brandon Park Residents' Action Group convener John Shrives said the council should pressure the Government to set aside more land.
``The State Government is making a windfall from all these sales of land they bought for very little money,'' Mr Shrives said.''Council should certainly be working hard to encourage greater support from the Government before the land is subdivided, so the developers don't just give a little bit here and a little bit there.''
Mayor Tom Morrissey said the council had opted to spend the $4 million on park upgrades rather than buying more space because the land parcels offered were in unsuitable areas.
Couple of points of clarification from your blogger
The land was not necessarily purchased in the past - It was public land and used for schools - it always has been public land. All land began as Crown land in Victoria and remains so until sold off to private interests. This has been a preoccupation of Government in Victoria since 1830 after the Crown declared all the land as Crown land.
Not all residents think 10 per cent retained as public land for public use is sufficient. In the schools for sale much of the areas are already open space - formerly playgrounds and ovals. These areas have been used as recreational areas for children and residents and are now being sold off. The ten per cent figure is being promoted by councilors as a compromise - that is we are entitled to get 5 per cent back but we can be tough and get 10 per cent back.
Not everyone thinks this is good enough.
More open space push
Andrew Miller
27Mar07
THE State Government and Monash Council should share the blame for the city's woeful record on open space and spend the millions reaped in developer contributions to secure more land, campaigners say.
The Notting Hill and Brandon Park resident action groups have questioned the council's decision to spend $4.3 million gathered from mandatory developer contributions in the past four years on upgrading parks, reserves and recreational facilities.
Notting Hill Action Group spokeswoman Melinda Ashton said the council should have used the money to buy more land.''Once again, the population is increasing and there has been nothing set aside,'' she said.Australian Research Centre for Urban Ecology figures show Monash has only 7.4 hectares of public open space for every 1000 residents one of the lowest ratios in Melbourne.
The Government is expected to this year sell land from five Monash schools, four of which have closed, and open space campaigners want up to 10 per cent set aside for parks.Council can take 5 per cent of the value of the land being developed or ask that 5 per cent be set aside for recreational use.Brandon Park Residents' Action Group convener John Shrives said the council should pressure the Government to set aside more land.
``The State Government is making a windfall from all these sales of land they bought for very little money,'' Mr Shrives said.''Council should certainly be working hard to encourage greater support from the Government before the land is subdivided, so the developers don't just give a little bit here and a little bit there.''
Mayor Tom Morrissey said the council had opted to spend the $4 million on park upgrades rather than buying more space because the land parcels offered were in unsuitable areas.
Couple of points of clarification from your blogger
The land was not necessarily purchased in the past - It was public land and used for schools - it always has been public land. All land began as Crown land in Victoria and remains so until sold off to private interests. This has been a preoccupation of Government in Victoria since 1830 after the Crown declared all the land as Crown land.
Not all residents think 10 per cent retained as public land for public use is sufficient. In the schools for sale much of the areas are already open space - formerly playgrounds and ovals. These areas have been used as recreational areas for children and residents and are now being sold off. The ten per cent figure is being promoted by councilors as a compromise - that is we are entitled to get 5 per cent back but we can be tough and get 10 per cent back.
Not everyone thinks this is good enough.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Update on Community Garden
The response to our recent leaflet on the community garden proposal has been gratifying. More than 20 residents have expressed a written interest and another dozen a verbal interest.
I think we can acknowledge that there is support to start a community garden in Notting Hill.
I will be contact with all those who did respond and keep them up to date.
A first move has been to seek the support of Monash Council for the proposal and to this end I have written to the Mayor and local councillors and said:
Recently residents in Notting Hill met and offered support for the concept of a community run garden in Notting Hill.
Following this:
· a survey of all residents was undertaken;
· a leaflet explaining the concept of a community garden was placed in all the letterboxes in the suburb;
· the leaflet invited responses and expressions of interests in becoming a community gardener;
· more than 20 written responses were received; and
· the initiative was also unanimously supported at a public meeting of residents on 14 March 2007.
Community gardens are recognised worldwide as a great way to grow food, improve our health, meet people, and cultivate vibrant communities.
We are proposing to investigate further now and follow through on developing a community garden project for the Notting Hill community.
We realise that establishing a community garden will not be easy but require a level of commitment and efforts of many before it becomes a reality.
Therefore we request your support and advice on this useful community initiative.
We await a response.
Recently the Age ran a piece about community gardens. It’s at:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/health/backyard-bliss/2007/03/20/1174153120432.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2
I think we can acknowledge that there is support to start a community garden in Notting Hill.
I will be contact with all those who did respond and keep them up to date.
A first move has been to seek the support of Monash Council for the proposal and to this end I have written to the Mayor and local councillors and said:
Recently residents in Notting Hill met and offered support for the concept of a community run garden in Notting Hill.
Following this:
· a survey of all residents was undertaken;
· a leaflet explaining the concept of a community garden was placed in all the letterboxes in the suburb;
· the leaflet invited responses and expressions of interests in becoming a community gardener;
· more than 20 written responses were received; and
· the initiative was also unanimously supported at a public meeting of residents on 14 March 2007.
Community gardens are recognised worldwide as a great way to grow food, improve our health, meet people, and cultivate vibrant communities.
We are proposing to investigate further now and follow through on developing a community garden project for the Notting Hill community.
We realise that establishing a community garden will not be easy but require a level of commitment and efforts of many before it becomes a reality.
Therefore we request your support and advice on this useful community initiative.
We await a response.
Recently the Age ran a piece about community gardens. It’s at:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/health/backyard-bliss/2007/03/20/1174153120432.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2
Monday, March 19, 2007
Meeting to Consider Government Provision of Community Green Space from Sales of Public Land
People are invited to a meeting of residents of the City of Monash who are affected by the closure of public schools and the threatened loss of community green space and facilities.
The Notting Hill Community Association will host this meeting at 7.30 on the evening of Thursday 29 March. It will be held at Monash University, in room SG04, one of the Manton rooms on the ground floor of the Menzies Building.
The meeting will consider how the State Government may be persuaded to set aside for public use a portion of all public lands sold for development – most urgently, of public school sites in the City of Monash recently or about to be deemed surplus to requirements by the Department of Education.
It will also consider the decision by City of Monash Councillor Gerry Kottek to vote against the Council’s planned rezoning of the Monash Primary School Site to residential use unless a substantial section of the site is reserved for community use.
The meeting will also consider how the Monash Secondary College Theatrette can best be retained for community use.
If anyone would like further information or assistance on how to get to the meeting up at the campus please contact his website and nottynews@gmail.com
The Notting Hill Community Association will host this meeting at 7.30 on the evening of Thursday 29 March. It will be held at Monash University, in room SG04, one of the Manton rooms on the ground floor of the Menzies Building.
The meeting will consider how the State Government may be persuaded to set aside for public use a portion of all public lands sold for development – most urgently, of public school sites in the City of Monash recently or about to be deemed surplus to requirements by the Department of Education.
It will also consider the decision by City of Monash Councillor Gerry Kottek to vote against the Council’s planned rezoning of the Monash Primary School Site to residential use unless a substantial section of the site is reserved for community use.
The meeting will also consider how the Monash Secondary College Theatrette can best be retained for community use.
If anyone would like further information or assistance on how to get to the meeting up at the campus please contact his website and nottynews@gmail.com
Update to Notting Hills News
The public meeting held last week was a great success with nearly 50 locals attending the meeting in the Pre School on Westerfield Street.
Much interest and support was evident for the work of residents.
A decision and was made to incorporate and association to be know as the Notting Hill Community Association. To date the residents group known as NHAG – the Notting Hill Action Group – has been operating unincorporated.
NHAG will of course still be there to keep representatives honesty.
An election was held and positions determined for a management committee
Marian Quartly – President
Melinda Ashton – Vice President
Vince Leveridge – Treasurer
Chan Cheah – Secretary
Committe members – Lauren Gates, Michaela Dommisse and Sherry Mayo
President Marian reported on the progress to renovate the pre-school for its use as the neighbourhood house and coming opening.
As reported elsewhere on this site the Governor of Victoria, his Excellency Professor David de Kretser, will open the Notting Hill Community House in a ceremony on the afternoon of 28 July.
Professor de Kretser and his wife Jan lived in Notting Hill during the 1980s' and their children attended the kindergarden in its early years.
Discussion after the meeting has resulted in a project to collect and create a display of photographs and other items reflecting the history of Notting Hill. This exhibition will open with the Neighbourhood House.
Further updates were given on the situation of the Monash Primary School and the activity around the future of the small theatre at the Monash Secondary College.
Much interest and support was evident for the work of residents.
A decision and was made to incorporate and association to be know as the Notting Hill Community Association. To date the residents group known as NHAG – the Notting Hill Action Group – has been operating unincorporated.
NHAG will of course still be there to keep representatives honesty.
An election was held and positions determined for a management committee
Marian Quartly – President
Melinda Ashton – Vice President
Vince Leveridge – Treasurer
Chan Cheah – Secretary
Committe members – Lauren Gates, Michaela Dommisse and Sherry Mayo
President Marian reported on the progress to renovate the pre-school for its use as the neighbourhood house and coming opening.
As reported elsewhere on this site the Governor of Victoria, his Excellency Professor David de Kretser, will open the Notting Hill Community House in a ceremony on the afternoon of 28 July.
Professor de Kretser and his wife Jan lived in Notting Hill during the 1980s' and their children attended the kindergarden in its early years.
Discussion after the meeting has resulted in a project to collect and create a display of photographs and other items reflecting the history of Notting Hill. This exhibition will open with the Neighbourhood House.
Further updates were given on the situation of the Monash Primary School and the activity around the future of the small theatre at the Monash Secondary College.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Local Newspapers buy into the Plight of Notting Hill
We are getting some attention to the plight of Notting Hill in the local media - last week the Monash Journal newspaper ran a piece on the school closures. Although the comment by local member of parliament Hong Lim was not helpful and not well received in the suburb.
From the Waverley Leader newspaper this week
School sale space fear
NOTTING Hill's open space looks certain to shrink after the State Government pushed ahead with plans to put the former Monash Primary School site on the market.
The Government has asked Monash Council to rezone the land to RZ1 residential, making way for the classrooms to be turned into flats, units or houses.Under the Subdivision Act, the developers will be forced to keep at least 5 per cent of the land as open space. But the council will negotiate with developers to possibly save 10 per cent of the site.The rezoning application will not be ready before April.
Plans for the sell-off have prompted an angry response from residents and Oakleigh Ward councillor Gerry Kottek.Cr Kottek said the Government was ``flogging off public assets'' without concern for the community.``They are reducing the amount of open space and not having a meaningful dialogue with the community,'' Cr Kottek said.
The former primary school is one of four closed Monash schools that could be sold to the highest bidder.The Monash Secondary College, Brandon Park Secondary College and Clayton West Primary sites are still in limbo.Cam Scott, a spokesman for Education Minister John Lenders, said the future of all three sites was yet to be determined.
But Mr Scott confirmed the Government had plans to sell Monash Primary School.Notting Hill Residents' Action Group spokeswoman Melinda Ashton said she was worried the school's ovals would be replaced with dozens of high-rise units.``It's certainly not what we need what we need is some open space,'' Ms Ashtonsaid.``If we lose the school, we lose any recreation area we have. It's extremely important we maintain the school's oval.''
Similarly in the Oakliegh Monash Leader newspaper
School sale space fear
NOTTING Hill's open space looks certain to shrink after the State Government pushed ahead with plans to put the former Monash Primary School site on the market.
Link http://www.oakleighmonashleader.com.au/article/2007/03/06/11200_wov_news.html
From the Waverley Leader newspaper this week
School sale space fear
NOTTING Hill's open space looks certain to shrink after the State Government pushed ahead with plans to put the former Monash Primary School site on the market.
The Government has asked Monash Council to rezone the land to RZ1 residential, making way for the classrooms to be turned into flats, units or houses.Under the Subdivision Act, the developers will be forced to keep at least 5 per cent of the land as open space. But the council will negotiate with developers to possibly save 10 per cent of the site.The rezoning application will not be ready before April.
Plans for the sell-off have prompted an angry response from residents and Oakleigh Ward councillor Gerry Kottek.Cr Kottek said the Government was ``flogging off public assets'' without concern for the community.``They are reducing the amount of open space and not having a meaningful dialogue with the community,'' Cr Kottek said.
The former primary school is one of four closed Monash schools that could be sold to the highest bidder.The Monash Secondary College, Brandon Park Secondary College and Clayton West Primary sites are still in limbo.Cam Scott, a spokesman for Education Minister John Lenders, said the future of all three sites was yet to be determined.
But Mr Scott confirmed the Government had plans to sell Monash Primary School.Notting Hill Residents' Action Group spokeswoman Melinda Ashton said she was worried the school's ovals would be replaced with dozens of high-rise units.``It's certainly not what we need what we need is some open space,'' Ms Ashtonsaid.``If we lose the school, we lose any recreation area we have. It's extremely important we maintain the school's oval.''
Similarly in the Oakliegh Monash Leader newspaper
School sale space fear
NOTTING Hill's open space looks certain to shrink after the State Government pushed ahead with plans to put the former Monash Primary School site on the market.
Link http://www.oakleighmonashleader.com.au/article/2007/03/06/11200_wov_news.html
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Governor to Open Notting Hill Community House with Homecoming Visit
In what will signal a new beginning in Notting Hill the Governor of Victoria, his Excellency Professor David de Kretser, will open the Notting Hill Community House in a ceremony on the afternoon of 28 July.
Professor de Kretser and his wife Jan lived in Notting Hill during the 1980s' and their children attended the kindergarden in its early years.
Representatives of Monash University and the Monash City Council will attend this official occasion along with all the folk of the suburb.
It promises to be a big event.
From the latest Notting Hill News - Newsletter of the Notting Hill Action Group - now appearing in your letterbox.
Representatives of Monash University and the Monash City Council will attend this official occasion along with all the folk of the suburb.
It promises to be a big event.
From the latest Notting Hill News - Newsletter of the Notting Hill Action Group - now appearing in your letterbox.
For more information of Professor David de Kreter go to http://www.governor.vic.gov.au/welcome.htm
BIG MEETING IN NOTTING HILL
A number of community issues will reported on and discussed at the Public Meeting planned for Wednesday 14 March 2007
What Do You Want From The
Notting Hill Community House?
• English Languages Classes?
• Computer Classes?
• Yoga Classes?
• Space for a Mothers’ Group?
• Venue for Meetings?
Wednesday 14 March 7:30pm
in the Kindergarten building,
What Do You Want From The
Notting Hill Community House?
• English Languages Classes?
• Computer Classes?
• Yoga Classes?
• Space for a Mothers’ Group?
• Venue for Meetings?
Come to the PUBLIC MEETING
Wednesday 14 March 7:30pm
in the Kindergarten building,
37 Westerfield Drive
AND HAVE YOUR SAY
AND HAVE YOUR SAY
Monday, February 19, 2007
A Resident Writes to Councillors and Members of Parliament
Dear Ward Councillors
Some of you may know of me and some may not, but I write to you as a resident of the Oakleigh Ward living in the suburb of Notting Hill, regarding our total loss of open space in losing our two (2) schools.
Please find attached below an email that I’ve sent to our State MPs and also sent it to: Hong Lim, Gavin Jennings, Inga Peulich, Gordon Rich-Phillips, Bob Smith, Adem Somyurek, which I believe you should read.
Please be aware that the residents of the Notting Hill community have used these two school grounds for recreation over the many years either: after hours, during school holidays or over weekends.
We have never needed to request public open land previously, as we’ve all used these facilities, however, with their loss, the entire community will have no where to exercise, fly a kite, play footy/cricket etc and in comparison to other areas of Monash, we are totally lacking in open space.
Please explain how the 2 to 5% of land set aside, is calculated? What is the formula? and How old is this formula - 1920’s ?
As our Ward Councillors, I ask you all to familiarize yourselves with our area and assist your local community in retaining a decent amount of the land for the community.
I understand that you are all no doubt busy with the Oakleigh pool situation.
However, this issue is just as important to us, we too are in desperate need of some decent recreational area/facilities and I feel that our issue should be receiving just as much action from Council before it’s too late!
The responsibility for retaining some of this land is constantly being passed backwards and forwards between State Government and Local Council, but the issue still lies and is falling through the cracks.
This needs to be addressed and done so that it ensures this community’s future before this land goes to auction for the highest bidder.
To what lengths does the community need to go to, to get someone to pay attention and help us with this matter?
I’m more than happy to discuss this issue with you all and would love to hear from all of you on how you will be assisting your local community with this much needed land before it’s too late.
Kind regards
Melinda
And to the State members of parliaments Melinda wrote:
Dear Ministers
We have no public open space!! I hope I’ve caught your attention
I write to you as a resident for 10 years of the suburb of Notting Hill Victoria 3168 (Melways Map 70) and over the last 5 years, our suburb/estate has lost:
Day Care Facility – Old Rusden Uni Campus, Blackburn Road/Samada Street
Kindergarten – Westerfield Drive
Notting Hill Primary School – Samada Street
Monash Secondary School – Duredin Road, NantillaRoad & Dunlop Road
I am disgusted that our suburb has lost all of the above facilities and received nothing in their place! Let alone kept any land aside for future generations needs and requirements.
This is State owned land paid for by the people, yet nothing is being set aside for us! 2 or 5% is just not enough, we require the same facilities that our surrounding suburbs have, a sports oval with proper recreational facilities and playground.
The demographics of our suburb are changing with the increasing birth rate within our estate – where do our children go for easy and safe access to education, not to mention sporting activities?
We lost the Day Care facility on the Rusden site which has now been redeveloped into high-rise – medium density dwellings without any allowances for public open space.
Now the DEET are rezoning the primary school to residential and selling that off to the highest bidder, closely followed by Monash Secondary School which will no doubt meet the same fate!
Where is everyone going to exercise?
Our estates’ residents have all used these facilities over the many years as open space and without any recreational areas, what is the State Government going to give us to compensate us for loss of open space? If you look in the melways, you can see that our suburb is the only one in the vicinity that doesn’t have any green areas for open space but is slowly filling up with business parks and factories.
The only available land is owned by Monash University who also intend on developing it over the next 5>10 years.
I believed that the State Government were concerned with the increasing obesity problem, yet we’re losing all of our open space to developers who will fill it with more high density dwellings to gain maximum dollar. At what price do we pay for these losses?
Where do we go or take our children to play footy, or fly a kite? Not everyone has a car and can travel to other open spaces. Not to mention young 5 year olds walking to the nearest primary schools over major roads and across freeway on/off ramps.
What happens to the future generations within this area? There is an urgent need to set aside areas for future development… people are moving back into the suburbs for more affordable living, yet there is nothing being kept for the future. What happened to the 2030 Plan? Isn’t it supposed to allow for spread into residential areas outside of the activity centres?
It was recently published in the local Monash Journal Feb 12, A Monash University Urban Population Expert, has criticized the State Government for failing to retain public open space at former school sites.
We have been lobbying our local Monash Council for some of this land to be kept as public open space, but they say that it’s the State Government’s responsibility to put these reserves aside and that they can’t afford to purchase land for the local community.
I moved into this estate with the intention of building a home, starting a family and having my children be able to walk to kinder, primary school and high school… I now have a home and two (2) children and have to drive them to day care/kinder, so what is the State Government going to do for me and my neighbours?
I’m supposed to be living in the Garden City… not the high density, dual occupancy capital.
There is a total lack of concern for our suburb and its inhabitants and it’s about time someone took notice. We are not lambs lined up for the slaughter; we are human beings with needs and requirements that quite simply aren’t being met.
I’m happy to discuss any or all of my concerns with any of you who can find the time to speak to the people. I look forward to hearing from you
Sincerely
Melinda Ashton
Notting Hill Vic 3168
Ideas for Notting Hill Spaces
While there is real concern about the lack of space in Notting Hill and the lose of amenities such as the primary school and secondary college it is also important to think about what we as residents might to with public space if by some effort some becomes available for public use.
I would like to open the conversation on a community garden and gauge the initial level of support for such a proposal. I realise that establishing a community garden will not be easy and require a level of commitment and efforts of many before it becomes a reality.
We include some thoughts on the benefits of a community garden for residents. Community gardens are recognised worldwide as a great way to grow food, improve your health, meet people, and cultivate vibrant communities.
They:
- allow people to grow their own vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers
- contribute to building an ecologically viable and socially just food system
- are a convivial way of getting fresh air and exercise
- foster community engagement and a culture of generosity, reciprocity, trust and self-help
- are great places to learn about gardening and share local knowledge
- preserve and improve the precious green spaces in urban environments
- develop innovative ways of living sustainably in the city
- provide opportunities for cultural exchange and learning
- some community gardens produce enough food and share the surplus and/or develop community enterprises.
For more information about community gardens go to:
http://www.ringwoodcommunitygarden.org.au/
http://www.ceres.org.au/
http://www.communitygarden.org.au/
http://www.cultivatingcommunity.org.au/
http://www.canh.asn.au/community_gardening/
I would be interested in any responses or comments on the possibility of a community garden
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
On Urban Development and Residents' Responses
The Minister for Planning in Victoria has often stated publicly that Melbourne 2030 is about protecting the liveability of Melbourne by encouraging the right development in the right places. This is exactly what resident groups are trying to do. Residents groups are not against all developments. They are however, against inappropriate developments.
In an ideal world, there would not be any need for the establishment of Concerned Resident Groups or Action Groups to campaign against developments in order to protect the liveability of Melbourne.
However we do not live in an ideal world. Inappropriate planning proposals from developers in the misguided belief that they comply with Melbourne 2030 have raised the level of consciousness within the community to problems associated with Melbourne 2030.
There may come a time when residents feel so strongly about a particular issue, that they consider campaigning against what they consider to be a proposed inappropriate development in order to protect the liveability of their suburb. They may even consider forming a resident’s representative group to allow the campaign to be more effective.
Forming and working in a concerned resident group to campaign against a proposed inappropriate development will require considerable time and effort from all members.
The decision to form or join a resident group and undertake such a campaign should therefore not be taken lightly, and should only be made after consideration of a number of issues.
Residents wanting to be heard have to consider:
Firstly decide if they wish to embark on a campaign against a proposed development.
Secondly decide whether they want to establish a representative residents group to undertake the campaign
Thirdly, appreciate the tasks need to be done in order to maximize their chances of achieving a desired outcome.
Finally, to obtain advice on how best to undertake these tasks.
This advice is from the Wheelers Hill Action Group within Monash Council who are sharing their experiences with other interest groups.
Monday, February 5, 2007
The Space Race - Notting Hill versus the Developers
Let’s talk about open space in Notting Hill
Notting Hill in reality is not a big suburban area. The residential area is small and compact and bounded by arterial roads.
The main residential areas are the Westerfield Estate and the Rusden estate.
Westerfield Estate people have always been forced to use school grounds as their open exercise and recreational areas as the developer, A V Jennings, did not provide a park as originally promised.
In these is the former Monash Primary School which has a compact sports oval. This is now fenced off and access is officially denied although the fence is falling down. Its future looks bleak as once the Monash Council rezones the area the developers are likely to move in.
The High School or Secondary College is closed and the future of its land is questionable.
So what public access land does the area of 600 dwellings have? There area couple of small patches where vacant blocks have some public use. This gives the residential area less than 0.2 percent of the area as public space.
In Monash City Council overall the amount of public space is 5 percent.
According to the 2001 Census figures, 234 people out of 1364 persons living on the estate are 15 years old or under; that’s around 17%. These kids need space, and adults increasingly need room for exercise.
The link between growing obesity of the population and lack of open space or areas for walking is obvious.
The steamroller approach of increasing the density of the housing without though for mobility physical activity by people has to be rejected.
The locals have had the school grounds as open spaces for exercise and recreation in the past but it is unlikely they will in the future given the influence of the development and real estate lobby in State politics.
Notting Hill in reality is not a big suburban area. The residential area is small and compact and bounded by arterial roads.
The main residential areas are the Westerfield Estate and the Rusden estate.
Westerfield Estate people have always been forced to use school grounds as their open exercise and recreational areas as the developer, A V Jennings, did not provide a park as originally promised.
In these is the former Monash Primary School which has a compact sports oval. This is now fenced off and access is officially denied although the fence is falling down. Its future looks bleak as once the Monash Council rezones the area the developers are likely to move in.
The High School or Secondary College is closed and the future of its land is questionable.
So what public access land does the area of 600 dwellings have? There area couple of small patches where vacant blocks have some public use. This gives the residential area less than 0.2 percent of the area as public space.
In Monash City Council overall the amount of public space is 5 percent.
According to the 2001 Census figures, 234 people out of 1364 persons living on the estate are 15 years old or under; that’s around 17%. These kids need space, and adults increasingly need room for exercise.
The link between growing obesity of the population and lack of open space or areas for walking is obvious.
The steamroller approach of increasing the density of the housing without though for mobility physical activity by people has to be rejected.
The locals have had the school grounds as open spaces for exercise and recreation in the past but it is unlikely they will in the future given the influence of the development and real estate lobby in State politics.
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