MECPG strongly supports other local resident groups fighting to ensure important local matters are at the forefront of politician’s minds.  The recently formed Newlands Community Alliance is a community based voluntary group which was recently formed to advocate on matters that are important to local residents. They have asked all candidates in the North East Ward the following five questions.

1. Will you advocate for the retention of the VicRoads reservation running along the Merri and Edgars Creeks as an area of public open space?
2. a) Will you guarantee the ongoing maintenance and operation of the Coburg Outdoor Pool on Murray Road to ensure it stays open?
    b) Will you support the extension of the opening hours of the Coburg Outdoor Pool, in particular an earlier opening than 11:00am?
3. Will you commit to maintaining and preserving the ‘bushland’ character of the Edgars Creek reserve as an informal recreational asset?
4. Will you commit to the maintenance and enhancement of the Newlands Sporting Precinct? This includes Badminton/Table Tennis (Ray Kirby), Basketball, Athletics Track (Harold Stevens), Football Oval and Golf-Driving Range.
5. Will you as a councillor personally consult with our community regarding all stages of the former Kodak site re-development?

See the attached NCA flyer [PDF] for the candidate responses.

With the upcoming Moreland City Council elections being hotly contested by candidates seeking your vote, MECPG has written to each candidate in each ward, asking them to pledge that, if elected, they will:

1. Ratify the resolution passed by the Moreland City Council at it’s meeting on February 14th 2008 that the Merri and Edgars Creek Parkland in North Coburg:

• Should remain in public ownership and be used for open space,
• Should be gifted to Council,
• Moreland City Council declare in clear and unambiguous terms that its policy position is for the Edgars Creek Reserve (and associated parcels) to remain in public ownership as open space for the enjoyment of the people of Moreland.

2. Promise that I will vote that all the land owned by Vic Roads remains parkland.

3. Actively lobby the state government to gift the land to the Moreland City Council for use as parkland for passive uses.

The downloadable PDF attached to this post identifies those candidates who have pledged their support.  Please consider the future of community open space when you vote this weekend.  Make sure the councillors you elect have the best interests of the local area at heart!

Vote 1 Parkland [PDF]

Eight MECPG members attended council meeting and asked questions:

• Council intends that all the land be retained as public open space;
• the deadline has been extended indefinitely;
• Council has written to VicRoads requesting that all the land be gifted to the City of Moreland;
• Council has pointed out that VicRoads is in a position to gift the land and is not obliged to sell it at market value
• Council has collected data on the value of park upkeep over the years and the amount paid in Parks Levies

MECPG also pointed out to Council that it should also be lobbying other Ministers not just Minister for Roads and Ports.

With a fantastic turnout at the Moreland City Council meeting we’ve again shown the strength of community support for retention of open-space parkland. Mayor Mark O’Brien brought forward the report on VicRoads which helped since the act of doing so answered a number of questions those in the gallery were poised to ask.

In the act of proposing the Council resolution, Cr Helou amended the form so the letter written to VicRoads advising them of the Council’s wish to be gifted certain parcels of land was changed from ‘Parcels ‘A’ and ‘B’ near Newlands Rd, Coburg‘ to ‘All parcels of land near Newlands Rd, Coburg‘. This is clearly a much better outcome for residents and Council.

Moreland CEO Peter Brown reminded the community that the decision had been deferred “at least until the end of this financial year“. Cr Mathews-Ward commented to the gallery that this process could take a while, citing an example of public land retention which took years. Ideally our campaign won’t take that long!

During question time Christine Campbell MP again requested copies of any documentation about issues which would affect the land value and strengthen the argument for public ownership of the land continue to be sent to her. (Naturally, if you’ve got something to share, we’d love to share it with the world here so send us a copy too!)

We are still some way from the final outcome but some on Council tonight saw the community support for the first time and realised the strength of our campaign and resolve. With promises of more open dialogue in the future we hope to get that final decision much sooner than Cr Mathews-Ward’s example!