THE financial counsellors from Eastern Access Community Health would like to express sincere thanks to all those service providers and community members in the Upper Yarra and Healesville areas who supported the recent lobby for urgently required local Centrelink services.
The support and knowledge of local service providers and residents is invaluable when ascertaining needs within our local communities.
Bernadette Douglas
Financial counsellor
Eastern Access Community Health
YOU have to give Parks Victoria credit for persistence.
It may have lost the battle against closing the Fernshaw Park, but it seems to think it can still win the war.
The recent announcement that the park is to stay open is welcomed.
Whether Parks Victoria builds a new toilet block is in my opinion a debatable point.
Why destroy a solid brick building to correct an alleged leaking septic tank?
I find it unbelievable they would construct a new toilet block, which would cost I expect in the vicinity of $80,000-plus, and then only cater for 15 car parking spaces.
In other words, Parks Victoria is still pursuing a policy of excluding as many of the public as possible from enjoying the tranquillity of the park.
Having done some research on the park and held discussions with the former manager, I am informed that in the 1980s the park accommodated up to 150 cars and five buses on Saturdays and Sundays in the summer.
These figures were then forwarded to the head office of what was at that time the MMBW.
I challenge Parks Victoria to deny the above traffic, or will it continue to attempt to hoodwink the public and state politicians?
Parks Victoria should remember it is a servant of the people not their master.
Local politicians please take note.
Ray Donkin
Healesville
TO the low life who picked up my recently purchased bag of clothing in the Chirnside Park Shopping Centre car park on Thursday, 3 November.
My elderly mother was looking forward to those items.
I hope they didn’t fit.
This doesn’t give you much faith in the human race.
Pat Inverarity
Millgrove
ANYONE visiting the so-called information day on 6 November for the proposed shopping development in Yarra Glen could be excused for thinking it was all about parklands.
This project, first and foremost, is about a supermarket development on residential land.
The key questions are does Yarra Glen need another supermarket, one that is many times the size of the current family owned supermarket?
What impact will such a development and its aftermath have on the character of the township, traffic volume and activity, and established small businesses?
We have seen already how the outcome of the Pinoak Drive development is very different from the rosy pictures painted of the lakes and surrounding land prior to approval for that project.
Let’s not be side-tracked again.
Ian Whitford
Steels Creek
Tammy Lobato still does not get it (Mail, 1 November ‘Still waiting, Fran’).
She is so busy playing politics with our health needs that she cannot see logic.
No plan of her own and no intent to support one already in the pipe line.
On 12 March 2004 the Labor party finally agreed to allow legislation to be passed to enable the Commonwealth to fund operational costs for after hours clinics to revive the burden on outpatients departments at public hospitals.
On 13 March 2004 Fran Bailey had a submission before the Minister for such a clinic in a building at Woori Yallock.
I knew in July 2004 that her submission had been successful.
In September 2004 an election was called and Ms Lobato heard about a proposed clinic at Woori Yallock.
The way Isee it, she vigorously campaigned against that plan and her preferred candidate was rejected by the people.
This did not satisfy her so she continued to lobby against the Woori Yallock plan even though it would have provided facilities for people not only in Upper Yarra but also in Healesville and places such as Cockatoo and Gembrook, the last being in Ms Lobato’s electorate and not in Ms Bailey’s.
I lay the responsibility 100 per cent at Ms Lobato that the Woori Yallock plan did not succeed. However Fran Bailey did not play politics with Tammy Lobato but pursued another plan.
Plan ‘B’ gives us a clinic at Healesville and one at Yarra Junction.
Over in Healesville they were happy to share the dolly pram, but not our Tammy.
She has the pram and no dolly but there is no way she will let Fran put her dolly in Tammy’s pram.
Meanwhile we all go without.
Our health needs come second to Tammy’s political games.
A.W. Grulke
Warburton
WHAT on earth are primary schools coming to?
I read in my wife’s Australian Family Magazine that they are teaching grade five girls safe sex by showing them how to roll a condom onto a banana.
That is not only perverted but borders on illegal.
If my daughter ever comes home and tells me this, I’ll sue the pants off the teacher and the school.
It’s just plain sick.
Geoff Aarons
Launching Place
I AM writing concerning the proposed development of the Yarra Glen parkland and shopping complex.
After viewing the plans and talking with the project manager, I believe this development will enhance the town and remove the eyesore that presently takes up the site.
Whether Safeway or the McBride family become the owners/tenants of the new building is beyond our control. Those who know me personally know my choice.
Yarra Glen is ready for further retail development.
The quality of the building and whether it is in keeping with the character of the town is the most important thing.
I believe it will fit in and provide necessary car parking with minimal visual impact. The area needs to be rezoned, because with its current zoning it will remain undeveloped.
It is adjacent to the present retail area and should have been rezoned for future expansion a long time ago.
I urge fellow residents, particularly those with reservations, to actually look at the plans and discuss their concerns with the project managers, Bill Molyneux, Sue Forrester or the building designer Chris O’Connor.
Margaret Pope
Yarra Glen
I WOULD like to encourage all residents in the Shire of Yarra Ranges to participate in Getting Involved Program, a $4.5 million initiative by the Bracks Government involving more than 500 events statewide to celebrate the Commonwealth Games.
Included in this program is the Warming up for the Games day on 20 November, when the shire will host an event to run, cycle and walk along the Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail.
The emphasis in the Getting Involved Program is to ensure that there is community participation at all levels.
All municipalities will be running a variety of events on this day thanks to State Government funding.
It is not all about sport – it is about people in all their diversity and array of cultures.
Other local activities to be held in the lead-up to the games next year include a touring exhibition of the sporting history of the area, which will gather input from across the shire.
Another project, the Avenue of Athletes, will involve the planting of trees along the rail trail.
The State Government is committed to supporting projects that will deliver long-term benefits for communities as a result of the Commonwealth Games.
So many people in the area have expressed their enthusiasm and excitement about what will be the biggest event ever hosted in Victoria.
None are more eager than schoolchildren, who have been overjoyed when I have delivered Commonwealth Games flags to their schools.
Students are keen to follow the progress of not only Australian athletes, but also those from the official second team for Yarra Ranges, New Zealand.
The shire has been putting in a tremendous amount of work to ensure every citizen has the opportunity to get involved.
Support your local athletes, your baton relay runners and your local community and take advantage of the special activities that are marking this once-in-a-lifetime event.
Tammy Lobato
Gembrook MP
*All letters submitted must carry the writer’s name and town or suburb, with a full residential address and daytime phone number for the purpose of verification.
