NEWS DESK Book shop launch event Closed council crime fiction authors will decisions decrease THREE attend the opening of QBD Books THE number of decisions made by Frankston Council behind closed doors has dropped dramatically in the last five years. A report prepared by Frankston Council officers read that in the first half of the 2022/2023 financial year, 2.84 per cent of council decisions were made behind closed doors. In the 2018/2019 financial year 28 per cent of matters were heard in closed council, the report read. Frankston Council has come under fire this year for confidentially voting to nominate Long Street Reserve in Langwarrin as its preferred site for a new kindergarten.
MCCLELLAND Gallery director Lisa Byrne (middle) with Belcher family members Brylee, Jenni Alexander, Bronya, and Leon (L to R). Picture: Supplied
Donation helps gallery establish walk A $100,000 DONATION has helped the McClelland Gallery in Langwarrin develop a new walk. The donation was made by the Belcher family. The walk will be named the “Belcher Family Lake Walk”, commemorating the lives of frequent park visitors Tamie Belcher and Eric Belcher. The Belcher’s daughter Jenni Alexander said her parents first visited McClelland in the 1980s, and loved walking the grounds. “The combination of art and nature at McClelland were an inspiration to my parents. It really be-
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came a favourite place - along with my family, my daughters first came to McClelland as toddlers and we still celebrate many family events here at McClelland with our extended family,” she said. “It gives me great pleasure to see this beautiful new walk created and named in their honour.” McClelland director Lisa Byrne thanked the family for the donation. “We are deeply indebted to Jenni Alexander, Leon, Bronya, Brylee and the Belcher family for their generosity in making the Belcher Family Lake Walk a reality,” she said.
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“During the first lockdown I received a phone call from Jenni asking to meet. We did so with a morning walk in the park and a coffee in hand. From this small conversation two truly amazing projects will be realised for the benefit of many generations to come. Belcher Family Lake Walk will provide easy, fully accessible access for visitors of all ages to enjoy the unique sculptures and vistas which surround the lake.” Part of the donation will be used to conserve and restore one of Eric Belcher’s favourite sculptures, Phil Price’s Tree of Life.
Water supplier grant program begins APPLICATIONS are open for South East Water’s 2023 community grants. Grants of up to $10,000 are available for community groups to claim. South East Water service delivery general manager Simon Willis said “if your community group is within our service region and needs support for a project, I encourage you to apply now for a grant.” “Our grants program also aims to support projects for community groups that have been impacted by our services, such as a sewer spill, reduced water quality or water service interruption,” he said. Apply at southeastwater.com.au/ grants
at Bayside Shopping Centre next month. QBD will host its grand opening at the Frankston shopping centre on 1 April. Authors JP Pomare, Christian White, and Kerryn Mayne will appear to conduct talks and sign books. QBD Books national manager Gary Parker-Shirley said “Frankston is well known in Victoria and beyond as a haven of book lovers who have a voracious appetite for new books and author events. It’s for this reason that Frankston has been one of the locations that has been most requested as a new store location.” “On top of this, with local authors such as Christian, JP and Kerryn in the community, there’s very clearly a thriving literary scene in Melbourne’s south-east,” he said.