NEWS DESK
Free showers for homeless now open A FREE shower facility for the homeless has opened at the Comfort Station in Frankston. The facility, located at the end of Playne Street, was officially opened on 3 December. The showers are run by local charity Donation Chain. The charity’s founder Helena Blomeley underwent a campaign before the opening, going a week without showering before washing at the public showers on the Frankston Foreshore. Those showers are out in the open, and only serviced with cold water (“Public facilities showered with support”, The Times, 12/11/19). Donation Chain celebrated the opening of the facility on social media. “What a relief, the first day went really well. There is no better feeling than seeing someone’s eyes light up when they are told they can have a hot shower and everything is provided,” they said in a Facebook post. “I can see we will run out of new socks, underwear, and towels in no time. So please if you see them on sale buy a few. We don’t have a laundry service available and it’s not nice to put dirty clothes back on after a shower.” Frankston Council approved the spending $10,000 of ratepayer money towards the project late last year, while the federal government also agreed to put in $10,000. The showers are open every Tuesday between 12.30 and 2.30pm. Donation points for the charity include Bendigo Bank Frankston and Ebdale Community Centre Frankston Brodie Cowburn
Monkey bike rider dies A MAN is dead after crashing an unregistered monkey bike into a pole in Carrum Downs. The 26-year-old man was travelling on Carrington Crescent at around 9.45pm, 5 December when he lost control and hit the pole. He was taken to hospital but died on 6 December. The man is the 251st to die on Victorian roads in 2019. Police are still looking into the fatal crash. Witnesses are asked to contact Crime Stoppers.
Tree lopper fined
Showers on: Donation Chain founder Helena Blomeley with That’s The Thing About Fishing members at the opening of the new shower block for the homeless at the end of Playne Street. Picture: Supplied
A MORNINGTON tree-lopping business has been fined almost $7000 for illegally dumping truckloads of mulch and garden waste. This comes after Mornington Peninsula and Frankston councils joined forces to prosecute the company at both the Dromana and Frankston magistrates’ courts. Tree pruning and removal business Trim Up Tree Service, described as a “serial rubbish dumper”, was found guilty of dumping the waste at Mount Martha and Langwarrin. A Mornington Peninsula Shire news release said the shire had a strong zero-tolerance approach to illegally dumped rubbish, prosecuting 12 offenders this year. The council understands Trim Up Tree Service was paid by residents to clear their properties ahead of summer, so it was seeking to profit through income and by avoiding tip fees. Increased efforts to deter and penalise rubbish dumping on the peninsula include patrolling dumping hot spots; CCTV and covert; gates, fences and bollards to prevent access to parks and reserves; investigation of all dumping incidents; issuing infringement notices and referring serious matters for prosecution; and a Dob-in-a-Dumper campaign. Report dumpers at mornpen.vic.gov.au/dobinadumper or call 1300 850 600.
Frankston Times
10 December 2019
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