BUY DIRECT Insurance saving yields & SAVE! car park for Currawong THE insurance savings in the budget have allowed Mornington Peninsula Shire to bring forward the sealing of the unmade car park at Currawong Community Centre in Mornington. The car park is number one on the shire’s list of 250 unmade car parks, revealed in late May when councillors adopted the Unmade car park construction strategy. The multi-building Currawong centre is home to more than 1000 University of the Third Age (U3A) members who use it every weekday. Also using the centre are two church groups, two programs that provide meals for children, and community groups that hire the hall. U3A president Tom Jeavons led the effort to lobby for the car park to be sealed, making a submission during the shire’s two-month budget process. He told the council about the risk of injury to visitors in the high-use car park. The number of U3A members had doubled in recent times, and some members had disabilities. The car park was also used by the nearby preschool for pick-up and drop-off as well as the maternal and child health centre. Ross Gregory, the shire’s team leader of infrastructure planning and policy, commented after Mr Jeavons’s submission: “The council adopted the Unmade car park construction strategy on 25 May. This car park is the top priority in the strategy given the high usage level that it receives and
the access needs of the key users groups. “Funding has not been included in the proposed 2015-16 budget due to the strategy not being adopted at the time of preparation of the budget. It will again be put forward for the 201617 budget.” Councillors reversed the decision last week. U3A vice-president Jan Oliver said the group was pleased the council had found money to seal the car park. She said the U3A lobbying effort had been supported by Cr Anne Shaw. “It is difficult for many people to negotiate the car park, especially in winter,” she said. “The pot holes are huge and there have been some nasty falls.” She said the car park was used by many people with disabilities including children. The Currawong Community Centre precinct has historic buildings that were once part of a property called Tanti, which was started in the 1841 and became part of Grigg’s Tanti Sheep Farm from 1937 to 1956. The farm was bought by the Housing Commission in 1964 but the Shire of Mornington retained the farm buildings for a community centre. New buildings have been added over the years and old ones restored. Number two on the unmade car park list is John Butler Reserve in Mt Eliza. Mike Hast
Savings pay for new projects Continued from Page 1 Last Friday, the mayor Cr Bev Colomb issued a statement saying “our rates continue to be among the lowest in the state”. She said the budget was “based on extensive community consultation, and while not all projects can be included, I am confident the budget supports our community’s needs and aspirations and delivers on council’s priorities over the next 12 months and beyond”. Cr Colomb said the budget would protect and improve the “liveability of our towns and villages”; enhance “the coastal experience”; provide “new and refurbished community infrastructure, buildings and open space”; reduce “the shire’s and community’s carbon footprint” and protect the natural environment; and support a “healthy, safe and connected community”. She said the council was focused on “eliminating debt that does not fund activities with longterm benefit to ensure that it is in a position to leverage income to meet future challenges including long-term community needs and aspirations, as well as present and future funding changes from
federal and state governments, the introduction of rate capping and future ‘calls’ on the Local Authorities Superannuation Fund. The super fund has cost the shire more than $17 million in the past 12 years including $10.8 million borrowed in 2013. The statewide shortfall of about $400 million was partly due to the global financial crisis and the fund under-estimating the length of time beneficiaries were living after retirement. The super plan for local government employees was a compulsory scheme from 1982. It was closed to new members in 1993. Cr Colomb said the budget contained $200,000 to start “the journey towards carbon neutrality, and will continue with a range of energy-saving initiatives across shire and community buildings”. There would be $4 million under the Safer Local Roads program and more than $3 million for new and refurbished footpaths. About $2 million would be spent on “protection of bushland and fire prevention works”. The budget is due to go on the shire’s website this week.
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Fired up over raku RAKU firing is a hot topic for a group ceramic artists at Rye. Raku – meaning "enjoyment" – was practiced in Kyoto, Japan, as far back as the 16th century. Vessels produced were used in the Japanese tea ceremony, most often as tea bowls. Artist Sue Sanderson said raku firing was one of the most exciting processes in ceramics. “Pots are placed in the kiln, the firing commenced and anticipation grows for that moment when the glazes begin to melt in the intense heat. “The pots are then quickly removed from the kiln – red and molten – and placed in bins full of paper and sawdust. This is the next step in achieving the wonderful glaze effects. “After about 30 minutes they are removed from the bins and placed in water. This thermal shock gives the pots that unique raku character. We now use this old and traditional process on contemporary ceramics.” The artists will show off their raku exhibits at Antipodes Gallery, 138 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento, from 17 July-2 August.
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(Opposite Pakenham Central) 5940 3866 All fired up: Ceramicists Ev Burton, left, and Sue Sanderson practice the ancient art of raku at Rye. Picture: Yanni
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www.jaleighblinds.com.au Mornington News 30 June 2015
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