By JESSE GRAHAM
HEALESVILLE stakeholders met to discuss the future of the town last week, with a river of ideas flowing through to create a draft Structure Plan.
Around 70 community members were present at the Wednesday 26 March meeting at Healesville’s Memo Hall, and were asked to discuss how Healesville would look and feel in 20 years’ time.
The results were as varied as the people who attended the meeting, and each table focused on a different aspect of the town, from environment through to tourism.
Each of the tables, focusing on their particular field, listed challenges that were presented when looking at the town’s long-term future, and then discussed potential solutions.
The large group then reconvened and listed their major ideas, before splitting up to discuss them in more detail.
One of the major ideas that were brought up repeatedly was the need for a railway link through to Lilydale from Healesville, and many wanted to contain the outward spread of the town.
An idea echoed around the tables was the need for a fully-functioning hospital with an emergency department, while another was having fully-serviced residential streets that would be sealed, have drainage and footpaths.
The results of the meeting will help shape a draft Structure Plan, which will be put out to the public around September, with an aim to release the final plan by end 2014.
Yarra Ranges mayor Fiona McAllister said the meeting was an opportunity for community members to gather and discuss what they would like to see in Healesville’s future.
“This isn’t just about how high buildings can be … it’s much broader than that,” Cr McAllister who represents Ryrie Ward said.
“In many ways, it’s our vision for what Healesville will be like in 20, 40, 50 years.”
She said the discussion process had taken place with meetings, discussion papers, submissions, emails and conversations and that last week’s meeting was the next step in ensuring the plan reflected the community’s wishes.
What do you think Healesville should look and feel like in 20 years’ time? Is there anything you would like to see differently, or things you would like to see stay the same?
Write a letter to the editor at editor@yvnews.com.au or at PO Box 470, Healesville, 3777.
