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KINGSTON Your City AUTUMN 2021

kingston.vic.gov.au

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Free guide to responsible pet ownership

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Faces to watch MEET OUR CITIZENS OF THE YEAR

NEWS

CONTACT US kingston.vic.gov.au cityofkingston kingstoncc kingstoncouncil kingstoncitycouncil info@kingston.vic.gov.au PO Box 1000, Mentone, 3194 CUSTOMER CARE 1300 653 356 COUNCIL MEETINGS Now restrictions have eased we are pleased to welcome the community back to our Council Meetings, which are held at the Cheltenham office at 1230 Nepean Highway. The next Ordinary Council Meetings will be held on Monday 22 March, Monday 26 April and Monday 24 May at 7pm. The next Planning Committee Meetings will be held on Wednesday 17 March, Wednesday 21 April and Wednesday 19 May at 7pm. WATCH LIVE View our Council Meetings live at stream.kingston.vic.gov.au. You can also access earlier meetings you may have missed. KINGSTON YOUR CITY EDITOR comms@kingston.vic.gov.au Kingston encourages you to reprint articles and photographs from this publication but permission must first be sought from the Editor. Acknowledgement of the source must be provided. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Council acknowledges the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners of the land on which the municipality is a part and pays its respects to the Elders past and present. Council is a member of the Inter Council Aboriginal Consultative Committee (ICACC). COVER PHOTO Elissa and her children, Zahra and Lachlan, take their new puppy Barney for a walk in Moorabbin’s beautiful GR Bricker Reserve.

Kingston’s Annual

Grants supporting our community Applications are open for Kingston’s annual grants program – with thousands of dollars on offer to help build a stronger, healthier and socially-connected Kingston. Last year social welfare groups, schools, families and children’s services, theatres and sporting clubs across the municipality shared in just over $1.62 million to continue their great work, and applications are now invited from groups seeking financial support. Council is proud to partner with the many local community groups providing high-quality and important services that help make our community a great place to live.

Applications are now open for: Annual Grants Up to $10,000 for not-for-profit community groups and organisations Arts Grants Up to $5,000 for individual artists, not-for-profit art groups and organisations Children’s Week Grants Up to $1000 available for groups delivering an event or activity for Children’s Week in October

Applications close midnight Sunday 28 March 2021. For more information see kingston.vic.gov.au/grants

A fond farewell Kingston Council has wished a fond farewell to several longserving councillors following years of service to the community. Cr Ron Brownlees served as a councillor for the City of Kingston, and prior to that the City of Moorabbin, for an incredible three decades. He was elected a councillor of the City of Moorabbin (1982-1994) and then again at the City of Kingston (1997-2003 and 2008-2020). During that time he was elected by his peers to serve as Mayor on five occasions. Cr Rosemary West served 18 years as a Kingston Councillor from 2003-2020.

Cr Tamara Barth and Cr Geoff Gledhill both served as a Kingston Councillor for eight years. Kingston has also farewelled CEO Julie Reid who has been appointed Executive Director of Local Government Victoria and will play a key role linking the state government and local councils. The role will help raise the profile of local government and strengthen ties between local councils and the Victorian Government.

NEWS

What you love about your neighbourhood Last year, we asked you what mattered the most to you in your local area as part of Kingston’s Liveability Survey. Almost 3000 people shared their views, now the results are in! Above all, our Kingston community values its open spaces, which is not surprising given the year we had in 2020. We aspire to neighbourhoods that feature high quality and well maintained open spaces and public areas including our reserves, parks, roads, footpaths and public assets. Also rating highly in the survey results was a desire to keep things ‘local’ where we can. Our community wants to shop local and support their suburb. You think it’s important our neighbourhoods feature locally-owned and operated businesses to provide the community’s daily needs.

What are your priorities

What you like

• Protection of natural environment

• Great walking/jogging/riding paths connecting the community

• Well maintained open spaces

• Feeling safe when out and about

• Neighbourhood safety

• Great local businesses

• Quality of public spaces

• Natural features and unique landscape

• Sustainable urban design

• Strong local economy

You also want plenty of shared community amenities like local shops within walking or cycling distance from home. Kingston’s best performing attribute is its connectivity with the community valuing our proximity to other neighbourhoods, employment centres and shops.

Keeping the community connected Community connections will be boosted through an innovative letter writing project launching in Kingston this month.

Kingston is the first local Council to sign up for the successful nation-wide Letterbox project that links people together through handwritten letters. It offers a safe way for the community to send handwritten letters with a focus on supporting isolated people who need some extra connection. In today’s world, often the only mail we receive is a bill, so receiving a handwritten letter can provide a real boost to someone’s mental health and wellbeing. Across Australia more than 7500

people are already taking part and now the project is being launched in Kingston. Anyone interested can register to write or receive a letter, and The Letterbox Project platform then connects them to someone else in Kingston. Letters are checked by the Letterbox project team before delivery to ensure they are positive and no personal privacy information is shared. To sign up or find out more see connectedau.com.au kingston.vic.gov.au | Page 3

COMMUNITY

FACES TO WATCH

At Council’s 2021 Australia Day Service, the Mayor was delighted to announce this year’s Citizen of the year, Outstanding Citizen of the Year and Community Group of the Year.

2021 Kingston Citizen of the Year Daniel Maitland

Daniel’s sister Bec was just 28 when she suffered from a stroke, changing her life forever. To raise awareness for young stroke survivors and funds for the Stroke Foundation, Daniel organised a 28km charity relay run. The Training With Mates STRIDE-4-STROKE TEAM MARATHON involved participants from across the ‘Training With Mates’ gym community including family, friends, colleagues and gym clients, plus their family and friends. Daniel has also done charity work in the past for breast cancer survivors and other charities. Training With Mates as a collective has raised $20,000 plus for charities over the years and Daniel has managed to do all this whilst running his own personal training business and being a fireman.

2021 Kingston Outstanding Citizen of the Year | Yvonne Hong Yvonne Hong is the founder and CEO of Pets of the Homeless, the only charity in Victoria which works to keep people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness and their pets together. She has funded more than $200,000 worth of routine and emergency veterinary treatment, along with emergency boarding costs and transport for vulnerable pet owners that could not otherwise access the care their pets require. Despite receiving no ongoing government funding,

Yvonne’s determination has resulted in Pets of the Homeless becoming self-sufficient and sustainable; it is now even able to offer employment opportunities. Yvonne established Australia’s first Pet Food Bank within the City of Kingston and has distributed more than 300,000 nutritious meals to pets in need. In 2018 she established an emergency foster care program with 65 volunteers who care for the pets of people in crisis.

2021 Community Group of the Year | Pantry 5000 Pantry 5000 provides groceries and a place to go for hundreds of people who are socially and economically disadvantaged. But it offers more than that - a lot of people experience loneliness and Pantry 5000 does its best to push back against it. While supplying food is a large part of its mission it also tries to help its clients by offering a helping hand and a Page 4 | Kingston Your City - Autumn 2021

friendly ear to talk to. Originally, back in 2012, there were nine volunteers, now there are over sixty. The team is now mostly made up of those who first came to get support for themselves. These volunteers found the organisation so rewarding that they returned to help out and contribute to the sense of belonging that the Pantry provides.

Exceptional local named 2020 Kingston Young Citizen of the Year Kingston’s young people are also doing some incredible work and making a positive contribution in our community. Up against an impressive pool of nominees at the Kingston Youth Awards in December, 20 year-old volunteer Mitchell Sundstrom was selected as the city’s Young Citizen of the Year for his invaluable work, creating a digital archive of Kingston’s history. Mitchell has volunteered at the Mordialloc College Alumni Association for the past four years, where he has made his mark as its webmaster. The youngest member of the Alumni Association, he has spent countless hours digitising and updating the College Alumni’s

website with historical images and documents, to create a state-ofthe-art and unique online portal for storing historical records. Mitchell, who juggles his contributions to the Mordialloc College Alumni Association Committee with full time tertiary studies and a part time job, has also upgraded the security on the College website and regularly writes articles for the Alumni’s Newsletter, Ventured. The Youth Awards are open to people aged 12-25 who have a strong connection to Kingston. The awards always attract a high calibre of young people working tirelessly to support the community and 2020 was no exception.

Kingston will celebrate 24 leading women in our community on International Women’s Day – and the community is invited to come along. Once again, we have received nominations for a diverse group of inspiring women who all make a difference to our community. The winner of the 3rd annual Kingston Woman of the Year Award will be announced at the event. Join us for the International Women’s Day Celebration on Friday 5 March at Kingston City Hall. The event is free however bookings are essential. For more information on nominees and to book your tickets visit: kingston.vic.gov.au/kwa

Making Waves Among the finalists for the 2020 Youth Awards were talented duo Tara Graves and Sarah Carino, the co-founders of ‘Making Waves Earrings’. Volunteet, Mitchell Sundstrom is our Young Citizen of the Year.

Our 2020 finalists were Imogen Kane, Phillip Spathopoulos, and business duo Tara Graves and Sarah Carino.

The local business partners have combined entrepreneurship, design and sustainability into their business model, which safely transforms discarded plastic found strewn on Kingston’s beaches into fashionable and wearable jewellery. By working together and combining their unique skills and learnings, these two young women have created an exciting way to recycle and reduce the amount of plastic waste that is found washed into Kingston’s beautiful beaches and the bay. kingston.vic.gov.au | Page 5

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What do you want Kingston’s future to look like?

This is your chance to let us know! This year we are going to be working closely with our community to develop a new Community Vision and strategic plans to guide the future of Kingston. This is your opportunity to make your mark and ensure the things that are important to you are captured so we can make Kingston the best place to live, work and play now and into the future. This exciting project - Your Kingston Your Future - will see Council joining forces with an independently-selected community panel. The community panel will be made up of people just like you. The panel will use your feedback along with trends and other data to create our new Community Vision and make recommendations to influence our guiding plans.

The community panel will work collaboratively to consider: Our diverse and changing community has many different interests and needs. To ensure that Kingston is the best possible place for everyone in the future, we need to make choices about where we focus our efforts. What is our future vision for Kingston and how do we balance our differing needs now and in the future? We want to hear from as many people as possible to help the community panel with their deliberations. We will provide you with updates on how the community panel is going and you’ll also have the opportunity to comment on the draft guiding plans before they are adopted.

How to get involved and have your say Share your thoughts online Friday 26 February Westall Library 35 Fairbank Rd, Clayton South 10.30am - 12pm Saturday 6 March Kingston Farmers Market Sir William Fry Reserve, Nepean Hwy, Highett 10am - 12pm Wednesday 10 March Online at 6pm Register: yourkingstonyoursay. com.au/yourfuture Keep an eye on your mailbox to see if you have been randomly selected to express your interest in joining the Community Panel!

Visit yourkingstonyoursay.com. au/yourfuture to fill in our short survey and let us know what’s important to you. Pop-up consultation sessions: Drop in and see us at one of our Pop-Up sessions! You can also join our mailing list to receive project updates direct to your inbox. What is a Community Vision? A Community Vision sets out the long-term aspirations of the community. It is an important document that will be driven, developed and owned by the Kingston community. The Community Vision will also shape our next four-year Council Plan, and 10-year plans for how we manage the city’s finances and assets. kingston.vic.gov.au | Page 7

EVENTS

Parklets boost outdoor dining options Side streets, laneways and now car spaces are hosting diners with the rollout of parklets across the city. The parklets have been temporarily installed in busy dining areas across Kingston including Mordialloc, Moorabbin, Highett and Aspendale, with the customised dining spaces providing additional outdoor dining options to support local cafes and restaurants. This is just one of the many ways that Kingston Council has been helping hospitality businesses to recover from COVID-19 trading restrictions. We’ve been working with businesses to find practical ways to assist them to expand outdoor, while still ensuring they are COVID Safe.

Diners in Mordialloc enjoy one of the many parklets that have been rolled out across the city.

Businesses have several options to establish outdoor dining areas for the temporary service of food and drinks outdoors, including trading on the footpaths, establishing parklets in kerbside car parks and creating temporary dining pop ups on Council land. Council has waived fees for outdoor dining

permits and dining pop-up licenses and has been streamlining application processes wherever outdoor dining can be safely established. Remember to support your suburb and dine local!

A new community event for Kingston Sadly, our much-loved annual MordiFest won’t be going ahead this year due to COVID safety concerns surrounding large-scale events. Instead we’re excited to announce that in its place this year we’ll be hosting a new event for the local community, to connect and celebrate Kingston.

Are you holding an upcoming event or community activity? Why not hire a FREE Giant Games set to keep the crowds happy. The Giant Games sets feature a range of games including: • Giant Jenga

Look out for more details about the new event in the coming weeks. but we can confirm it will be held in the first half of 2021.

• Bocce

Our priority as a Council is keeping our community safe and although gathering rules have relaxed a little to allow some approved organised events to go ahead there is still some uncertainty around holding large-scale, free-standing events like MordiFest.

• Lawn croquet

The new community event will be held in line with current guidelines, with the hope of bringing back MordiFest in 2022. Keep an eye on our website and social media for more details soon! Page 8 | Kingston Your City - Autumn 2021

• Giant Dominos • Giant 'connect' 4 The Giant Games sets are available for hire free of charge, with just a $50 bond required which is returned upon return of the equipment. The sets are available to the community thanks to a partnership between Kingston and Monash councils, Monash Health, Bayside Community Health Services and The Alcohol and Drug Foundation.

The kits are provided to create alcohol free areas at local events that every one can enjoy. It's all part of a campaign to try to minimise alcohol harm within the community and to shift attitudes towards drinking by showing you can have plenty of fun without alcohol. Details: kingston.vic.gov.au/ giantgames

CONSULTATION

Dingley Village Community Precinct – stage two

Kingston is abuzz with exciting new projects, community facilities and works and we need your feedback! Keep informed of current and future consultations and join the conversation by visiting yourkingstonyoursay.com.au We’re currently seeking your feedback on: Your Kingston Your Future What needs to happen to make Kingston the best place to live, work and play? We need your help to create Kingston’s Community Vision to drive the future of the city. Turn to page 7 to find out more! Concept plans for a new park at Elder Street South Elder Street South Reserve is a 4-hectare former landfill site in Clarinda that has been rehabilitated and is now ready to be turned into a park for the community. In early consultation you said nature, active spaces and being able to enjoy the natural environment were most important to you and we've used your feedback to develop the draft concept plans for the site – let us know if we have it right!

Council has undertaken major improvement works at the Dingley Village Library and Harold Box Hall to deliver fantastic new community facilities. Stage two will see Council continuing its significant investment in transforming the Dingley Village Community Precinct, with the proposed redevelopment of the existing Neighbourhood Centre building with improved Early Years and community space and a new pavilion in the neighbouring reserve. Kingston’s Draft Climate and Ecological Emergency Response Plan Everyone needs to consider their impact, how they can reduce carbon emissions, protect the natural environment and also adapt to the impacts of climate change. Council has developed a Draft Climate and Ecological Response Plan and is seeking community input on how we can all address the climate and ecological emergency, with urgent intervention. Coastal Marine Management Plan and Peter Scullin Reserve Park Plan and Playspace Renewal Early consultation on both of these projects is closing as we go to print but there will be more opportunity to have your say mid-year. Keep an eye on yourkingstonyoursay.com. au for more!

Clean Up Australia Day We’re encouraging the community to lend a hand to clean up their local park, street or beach as part of Clean Up Australia Day on Sunday 7 March. Clean Up Australia Day is a rewarding experience and a simple way to give back to the community. Council and local community groups will be holding several Clean Up Australia Day events around Kingston. To find an event near you please visit: cleanupaustraliaday.org.au

Don’t forget to slip, slop, slap and bring plenty of water!

Anzac Day

The Kingston community will join together to commemorate ANZAC Day on 25 April. In 2020 thousands of locals did not let COVID restrictions stop them from marking the important national day. Instead they gathered in their driveways, lighting candles at dawn and sharing the moment with their neighbours. This year, whether you are joining a local service at one of our RSLs or simply taking a moment by yourself or with family & friends, we encourage the community to set aside time to remember and honour our servicemen and women on ANZAC Day. Kingston is home to a number of RSL clubs which hold a range of local services to mark ANZAC Day which the community is welcome to attend, depending on current social distancing restrictions. Find out more about your local RSL and any ANZAC Day services at rslvic.com.au You can also support the good work of our local RSL clubs year-round by enjoying a meal at their restaurants or considering venue hire for your next event.

Smoking banned Each year thousands of cigarette butts carelessly tossed on our streets and beaches end up in our bay. Smoking was recently banned on all of our beaches, foreshores, reserves and major shopping strips, to help reduce the health risks of passive smoke and keep our City and bay free of cigarette butts. kingston.vic.gov.au | Page 9

Caring for pets in Kingston During the lockdowns of 2020, there was a surge of new pet ownership across Victoria. We have put together some tips to help you to care for your furry, feathered (and scaly) friends.

Register and microchip your dogs and cats April is pet registration time and cat and dog owners are reminded to renew pet registration. Registering and microchipping your pets are the best ways to ensure you are reunited with them if they are lost or run away. Pet registration fees also fund: • off-leash dog parks and dog exercise equipment • services to remove wandering and aggressive dogs from the streets, so you and your pet can walk in safety • services to deal with nuisance problems like barking dogs, cat trespass and abandoned animals • control of dangerous, menacing and restricted breed dogs so they do not pose a threat to the community Kate and Susan with their rescue dogs Tom and Mandy.

A pet is for life, not just for lockdowns Many families took the opportunity during lockdowns and spending time at home to add a pet to their household. Unfortunately, as restrictions ease we are starting to see animal shelters fill up with pets that are being abandoned. This may be due to time constraints, or behavioural changes in pets that may not have you all to themselves anymore. Now that the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions are easing, many of us will start to spend more time away from the home. This change may be stressful and can even create separation anxiety in our pets. The RSPCA recommends we try to take following steps to help our pets adjust to this change:

• try to maintain a routine which includes some quality time with your pets every day • introduce them to alone time in a positive way, i.e. leave a treat for them when you head out • make departures and arrivals as uneventful as possible • try to give them a few minutes of exercise before you head off • provide them with a cosy nook they can feel safe in at home Anyone interested in bringing a pet into their family home is encouraged to consider adopting a rescue pet.

Page 10 | Kingston Your City - Autumn 2021

• monitoring of animal welfare standards in pet shops, kennels, catteries, breeding and training businesses • education programs for the general community and for children in preschools and primary schools.

Did you know? Victorian legislation requires every cat and dog three months of age and over to be registered with Council on 10 April every year. Animals registered for the first time must be microchipped and desexed prior to registration.

Pick up after your pooch

Make sure pets are indoors or safely behind gates

Kingston’s Pet Expo delayed due to COVID-19

If you’re out for a walk with your pet, don’t forget to pick up after them.

At night cats can wreak havoc on the environment and are a danger to native animals. Therefore, all cat owners are required to keep cats securely indoors between sunset and sunrise.

Due to the uncertainty of lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic Kingston’s much-loved Pet Expo won’t be running in April as usual. We anticipate the pet lovers event will return in late spring 2021. We will be releasing further details soon.

Free dog-litter bags are now available at select dog off-leash parks and reserves across Kingston following a successful 6-month trial of dog-litter dispensers. Registered dog owners can also pick up free biodegradable dog-litter bags and pouches at all Kingston’s customer service centres.

Dogs must also be contained securely within properties to avoid danger to themselves and others.

Visit kingston.vic.gov.au/pets for more information and tips on how to be a responsible pet owner.

Centre Rd

19 20 21

Bonbeach Sports Reserve Moorabbin Reserve 19 Reserve Roy Dore Bonbeach Moorabbin

Carrum Namatjira Reserve Browns Reserve 20 Clayton South Aspendale

Dales Park Reserve Reg Marlow Reserve 22 Drive Oakleigh SouthSnowdon MentoneReserve

24 25

Cheltenham Derring Street Reserve Dore Reserve 23 Roy Cheltenham Carrum

Road Reserv e Farm Road Reserve William Fry Reserve 24 Sir 26 Southern Cheltenham Cheltenham Mentone

George Woods Reserve Snowdon Drive Reserve 25Reserve Mordialloc Cheltenham Swallow

Westall

Mordialloc Creek

WATERWAYS

ASPENDALE GARDENS

ASPENDALE

le R

hva

Edit

ale

17 Reg Marlow Reserve

Bicentennial Park Mavis Hutter Reserve Chelsea Mentone18 Oakleigh South

Warren

Le Page Park Cheltenham

Sir WilliamNurten Fry Reserve Chadwick Reserve Parade Reserve 21 Aspendale Dingley Village Cheltenham Gardens

Moorabbin Reserve 10 Moorabbin 11 Namatjira Reserve 12 Clayton South 13 Nurten Parade Reserve Aspendale Gardens 14

Clayton

Rd Warrigal

Kingston Heath Cheltenham

8 Mavis Hutter Reserve 9 Oakleigh South

Clarinda

le Rd Chestervil

Governor

Bald Hill Park Reserve Clayton South

BRAESIDE

15 MORDIALLOC

rin

Amaroo Drive Reserve Chelsea Heights

White St

Braeside Park

EDITHVALE

CHELSEA HEIGHTS rm

es P

Tham

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Iluka Reserve 3 Aspendale 4 Kevin Hayes Reserve Mordialloc 5

Parks with off-leash areas

Heatherton Park Clayton South

Le Page Park Cheltenham

ndenong

GR Bricker Reserve Moorabbin

DINGLEY VILLAGE

ean Nep

Lower Da

PARKDALE

Glen Street Reserve Aspendale

g Rd

MENTONE

Dandenon

Moorabbin Airport

e Rd

George Woods Reserve CITY OF KINGSTON Mordialloc

DFO

Farm Road Reserve Cheltenham

16Centre

Boundary

Heatherto

Derring Street Reserve Cheltenham

n Rd

CHELTENHAM

Kingston

Balcomb

Kingston Heath Cheltenham

CLARINDA

Dales Park Reserve Oakleigh South

Argus St

1km walking radius

HEATHERTON

Chadwick Reserve Dingley Village

Keys Rd

y Rd

CLAYTON SOUTH

Bourke Rd

Browns Reserve Aspendale

24 Ba

2 20

Bonbeach Sports Reserve Bonbeach

HIGHETT

Please check the rules where and when dogs are allowed on Kingston’s beaches at kingston.vic.gov.au/pets

Bicentennial Park Chelsea

From 31 March, dogs are allowed on-leash on our beaches for longer periods during the colder weather. However Mordialloc is a no-dog zone all year round. Dog owners can also exercise their pets off-leash 24-hours a day at both Carrum (during the off-peak season) and at Mentone.

MOORABBIN Wickham Rd

South Rd

a pe

Pets must remain under the effective control of their owners at all times.

Bald Hill Park Reserve Clayton South

With more than 30 dog off-leash areas available across Kingston’s parks and beaches, there is no shortage of opportunities to exercise your pets.

OAKLEIGH SOUTH

Old

City of Kingston Parks with off-leash areas

Amaroo Drive Reserve Chelsea Heights

CHELSEA BONBEACH

Glen Street Reserve Southern Road Reserve Dingley26 Village Aspendale Mentone GR Bricker Reserve Turner Moorabbin

Swallow Reserve Road Reserve 27 Dingley Village Cheltenham

Walter

Heatherton Park Clayton South

Road Reserve 28 Turner Cheltenham Galt Reserve

Iluka Reserve Galt Reserve Parkdale 29 Walter Aspendale Parkdale Kevin Hayes Reserve Mordialloc

eod

McL

PATTERSON LAKES

23 CARRUM

kingston.vic.gov.au | Page 11

Ward News

Bunjil Ward | Karkarook Ward

New Clarinda park a step closer Rehabilitated and ready to go, the 4-hectare former landfill site at Elder Street South is ready to be turned into a park for the community and we need your help.

Nature, active spaces and being able to enjoy the natural environment were recurring themes in our early consultations and we’ve used your feedback to develop the draft concept plans for the site. We now want the community to let us know if we’ve got it right. Consultation is now open on the Elder Street South Reserve concept plans. Go to yourkingstonyoursay.com.au to provide feedback.

Bunjil Ward Councillor and Mayor Cr Steve Staikos visits the site for the new park at Elder Street South with Karkarook Ward’s Cr Hadi Saab.

CR STEVE STAIKOS

CR HADI SAAB

0447 896 643 steve.staikos@kingston.vic.gov.au

0437 885 142 hadi.saab@kingston.vic.gov.au

Council is disappointed that the State Government made the decision to locate the stabling yards for the Suburban Rail Loop at the Delta Site, which is identified as core parkland in the Sandbelt Open Space, Chain of Parks in the Kingston Green Wedge. The Sandbelt Open Space Project has been in the planning scheme since 1994. This was a vital step forward for the community in and around our Green Wedge, which played host to over 30 landfills, many of which were put in our area to fill the voids created by years of sand mining activities. Kingston now has only one active landfill for clean waste only and one recycling facility (Alex Fraser Group - which has been given a permit by the State Government to operate until 2033). We at Council see these as time-limited uses that will have an end date and we will be able to return the sites to Green Wedge compliant uses at their end of life, conversely a stabling yard would be a permanent use. As a local community representative for over 12 years, and a local resident my whole life, I am acutely aware of the community’s expectations on the Green Wedge, and the strong desire for the promise of the Green Wedge to be delivered; passive and active recreation, agriculture and rural open landscapes. The State Government has Public Acquisition Overlays that require Parks Victoria to purchase these important sites in the Kingston Green Wedge and at the last election the State Government committed $25 million to deliver on this promise.

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Firstly, I would like to wish you all a belated very happy new year – I hope you all had a great Christmas and an even better holiday break. With things starting to go back to normal it is great to have the opportunity to go out and see others again across our beautiful community, I highly recommend checking out some of our local cafes and stores and using some of the new outdoor spaces to soak in the summer sun.

City of Kingston Wards! OAKLEIGH SOUTH

CLAYTON SOUTH

Bunjil Ward MOORABBIN CLARINDA

Karkarook Ward HIGHETT

It has been a very exciting start to my time as Councillor. In our first few weeks we were invited to attend press conferences from both the Hawthorn and St Kilda Football Clubs. Most recently, I was fortunate enough to attend my first official opening, for the redeveloped Dingley Village Library & Neighbourhood House Precinct. I hope to be able to attend more of these and get to meet everyone across Kingston who make these community spaces so successful.

Caruana Ward HEATHERTON

Wattle Ward CHELTENHAM

Chicquita Ward

MENTONE

MOORABBIN AIRPORT

DINGLEY VILLAGE

Como Ward Melaleuca Ward PARKDALE

BRAESIDE MORDIALLOC

Yammerbook Ward

WATERWAYS

Suburban Rail Loop While the announcement of the suburban rail loop is exciting news for most in our city and across Victoria, the stabling yard announcement has brought upon some potentially devastating impacts. The SRLA statement about the preferred location of the stabling yard being in our Green Wedge on the Delta land is disheartening. Council is dedicated to advocating for residents’ concerns and will work with community groups, like the ‘Save the Delta Site Parkland’ Facebook group, to address and voice the concerns of our community.

ASPENDALE GARDENS ASPENDALE

Sandpiper Ward EDITHVALE CHELSEA HEIGHTS

CHELSEA

Longbeach Ward

BONBEACH

Banksia Ward CARRUM

PATTERSON LAKES

For detailed maps of your ward see kingston.vic.gov.au/wards

Ward News

Chicquita Ward | Wattle Ward | Caruana Ward

CR TRACEY DAVIES

CR JENNA DAVEY-BURNS

CR GEORGE HUA

0438 108 611 tracey.davies@kingston.vic.gov.au

0437 859 749 jenna.davey-burns@kingston.vic.gov.au

0429 171 449 george.hua@kingston.vic.gov.au

Happy New Year to all Chicquita Ward residents. It has been really exciting to receive the many letters and emails congratulating me on my appointment and I appreciate the support. Since I was sworn in last November, I have undertaken an induction process and been briefed on how the council and the amazing staff employed at Kingston operate. The council diary is extremely busy, and I am navigating my way through balancing my full-time job with Council commitments. If residents have any concerns, then an email to me is my preferred option as it enables me to be fully appraised of the issues and understand exactly what concerns a resident may have. One of our first priorities as a Council is to develop our 4-year plan and we are committed to working with the community to create a community vision that captures long-term goals and aspirations. A Community Panel will be established with around 40 members of the Kingston community (including residents, businesses and community groups) randomly selected by an independent consultant. I am very focused on ensuring this new plan is driven, developed and owned by the community and encourage those interested in helping us to create the future strategy to get behind this project. There are so many exciting projects on the go, and in planning, across Kingston that build on the already wonderful community facilities we have across our city, I look forward to sharing updates with you in the coming months. We’ll also be focusing on continuing to provide essential services to our community as we recover from the pandemic.

What a start to the year we have had! To residents and traders affected by the challenging circumstances over the new year period with COVID-19, a heartfelt thanks for the way you stepped up for all of us. You should be really proud. I hope that if your holidays were interrupted, you get a chance to rejuvenate. Seeing our community out on the newly opened shared user pathways connecting Mentone and Cheltenham is fantastic. I want to achieve more cycling safety and connectivity especially in Cheltenham and Highett where we desperately need a path to join our two communities together. Council recently voted unanimously to reject the State Government’s proposed location of the stabling yard in Kingston’s Green Wedge. There is also concern here in Highett and Cheltenham about the impact of the SRL on Sir William Fry Reserve. Your voice matters so have your say at: suburbanrailloop.vic.gov.au/en It is great to see Waves Leisure Centre reopen. I used to teach South Sudanese kids how to swim and know the joy the water brings - as well as the dangers. It is never too late to join a learn to swim program. Please stay water safe. I loved meeting with Follett Road traders and Council staff recently to talk about upgrades and reading some beautiful books at the newly opened Dingley Village Library. I also had a lovely morning tea with the Aveo Kingston Green Residents Association. Follow the adventures: FB @crJennaDaveyBurns Instagram @jennadaveyburns Stay COVID safe, #shoplocal and do something kind for yourself.

Dingley Village revitalisation Works on a number of major community buildings in Dingley Village have recently been completed or are set to launch.

With COVID-19 restrictions easing, it is fantastic to see our community being able to meet together once more in person. It was a real joy to attend the official opening of the new Dingley Community Library earlier this year. The new space looks incredible and will form part of the lifeblood of the Dingley community. If you haven’t had a chance to stop by for a visit yet, I encourage you to pop-in. It’s incredibly popular in our community and is full of buzz with students gathering after school to study, young families attending storytime sessions, seniors receiving assistance to learn new technologies – plus of course people of all ages searching for a good book to read, magazine to peruse or DVD to watch. It was also great to see the crowds milling around the Dingley Village Farmers Market – with people shopping, chatting and catching up with familiar faces in the crowd. Such a great example of the friendly community we are lucky to live in. As restrictions continue to ease, I encourage you all to keep supporting our local businesses as they recover from the impacts of the pandemic. By shopping local, we can all play a part in helping restore our local economy which is so important in providing local services and local jobs.

In January the redeveloped Dingley Village Library was launched, a joint project between Council ($4m) and the Victorian Government ($750,000 Living Libraries Grant). The architecturally designed facility includes a library, community meeting rooms, new kiosk and commercial kitchen, ‘all abilities’ art room, improvements to the Harold Box multipurpose room and a new courtyard and deck.

Chicquita ward’s Cr Tracey Davies joins Wattle ward’s Cr Jenna Davey-Burns for a tour of the new stateof-the-art Dingley Village Library.

This year, we’ll also be seeking community feedback on stage two plans for the upgrade to Dingley’s Neighbourhood House. Council will also consult with sports clubs and the community on plans for a new pavilion at Dingley Reserve.

kingston.vic.gov.au | Page 13

Ward News

Yammerbook Ward | Como Ward | Melaleuca Ward

Protecting our natural assets Kingston is home to 13km of beautiful beaches as well as foreshore areas and reserves with important vegetation.

There are also substantial fines and the potential for prosecution for anyone caught vandalising

Our natural assets and recreation areas attract plenty of visitors each year but that also increases the pressure on our environment. Council needs your help to protect these wonderful assets. It’s really important to stick to the main paths when out enjoying nature to protect the high quality, valuable habitat vegetation along Mordialloc Creek and in other areas. Help us to keep our beaches clean and beautiful, remember to remove and bin all rubbish when you leave for the day.

vegetation. Do the right thing so we can all enjoy Kingston’s remarkable natural environment.

Melaleuca ward’s Cr Tim Cochrane and Como ward’s Cr Chris Hill enjoy a stroll along the stunning Mordialloc Creek.

CR TAMSIN BEARSLEY

CR CHRIS HILL

CR TIM COCHRANE

0430 170 210 tamsin.bearsley@kingston.vic.gov.au

0437 913 851 chris.hill@kingston.vic.gov.au

0437 843 837 tim.cochrane@kingston.vic.gov.au

I can’t believe it’s already March. The summer holidays seem a distant memory and, if your family is anything like mine, we are well and truly into the swing of the new year back at work and schooling, community sport and other activities. After such a disrupted 2020, it’s great to see our community active and bustling again – while still keeping COVID safe. If anyone is feeling isolated and keen to make some connections in their local community but is unsure where to start – I recommend stopping by your local library or community centre/neighbourhood house. They have plenty of activities, classes and events to help you get to know your neighbours in a safe, relaxed environment. In Aspendale Gardens, Council is progressing with works at the Aspendale Gardens Sports Ground. I’m pleased to report that your feedback asking for lighting along the path from Tarongo Drive will be delivered as part of Stage 2 of the project, making the area safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

After a difficult and turbulent 2020, it is fantastic to see our wonderful community back together again this year and supporting each other as we recover from the impact of COVID. I am particularly excited about the next four years and the many things we can achieve together in Como Ward. Mentone has undergone a real renaissance of late and it is terrific to see locals and visitors out enjoying our new Piazza and the revitalised Mentone Station gardens, as well as dining out at our many great restaurants and cafes. It’s important that we all continue to support our local traders in Cheltenham, Mentone, Parkdale and throughout Kingston and shop local whenever we can. Our community has shown it can come together and support each other during the most challenging of times, let’s keep that up.

Meanwhile, I’m sure we have all noticed the construction works continuing on the Mordialloc Freeway project which runs through Yammerbook ward. The major works are now more than halfway through and we have seen some traffic disruptions and road closures in recent months as part of the project.

With the easing of restrictions, work is full steam ahead again on a number of major projects across our city. As a regular down on Mentone beach I am looking forward to seeing the plans for the redevelopment of Mentone Life Saving Club and foreshore precinct come to life, following extensive community consultation. The new stateof-the-art facility will ensure the club can continue to provide its vital community service well into the future and the improvements to accessibility will mean all members of our community will be able to access and enjoy our foreshore area.

You can keep up to date with any upcoming traffic closures or impacts by registering for updates at roadprojects.vic.gov.au/ projects/mordialloc-freeway

Council will soon be awarding a contract for the estimated $14.5 million project with work on the proposed facility to begin later this year.

Page 14 | Kingston Your City - Autumn 2021

It’s been a productive start to my 4-year term and I thank the community for welcoming me into the role. Council has already achieved some great outcomes, including securing additional funding for small businesses to initiate outdoor dining. I’m very proud of the result and am looking forward to seeing these spaces come to life. As a council we are currently in the strategic planning stage which will outline the direction we will take over the next 4 years. I expect the Melaleuca Ward will see some big changes, one of those being the replacement for the Don Tatnell Leisure Centre, a key issue for our community. It’s important to note the scale & complexity of this project, with cost estimates upwards of $40 million. I hope to give you more clarity around design and location throughout 2021. I’m excited to announce that much needed works will soon be commencing around the Parkers/Como intersection, to improve pedestrian safety and add to the functionality of the available open space, ensuring the strip’s longevity. Lastly, the closure of the pedestrian rail crossing at McIndoe Parade and Elm Grove was unexpected and disappointing to say the least. A site audit highlighted some serious safety concerns, with the crossing posing an unacceptable risk to our community. Council has written to the relevant Ministers and PTV seeking assurance that the crossing will be upgraded and not permanently closed. I will continue to advocate for this and thank the community for their ongoing support.

Ward News

Longbeach Ward | Banksia Ward | Sandpiper Ward

CR GEORGINA OXLEY

CR CAMERON HOWE

CR DAVID EDEN

0429 222 504 georgina.oxley@kingston.vic.gov.au

0429 498 028 cameron.howe@kingston.vic.gov.au

0422 557 917 david.eden@kingston.vic.gov.au

Happy New Year to you and your family! After the highs and lows of 2020, it’s a relief to see 2021 come around. 2021 is setting up to be jam packed - with Council continuing to push ahead with a number of major projects as well as helping our community recover from COVID and reconnecting with each other. I have said this before, but I am so proud of the way we all pulled together last year during such a challenging time. I look forward to working with our community throughout 2021. Outdoor Dining Banjo and I have been enjoying exploring all the outdoor dining options available to us across the city. Council has worked hard to find ways to support our businesses to expand their outdoor dining including creating temporary outdoor dining pop ups on Council land and parklets in kerbside car parks. It has been terrific to see our local restaurants and cafes buzzing again with diners. Revitalising Chelsea Chelsea has certainly come alive again too and once the new pedestrian bridge that is being built as part of the Level Crossing Removal Project is complete it will help connect locals with our most loved community spots. The bridge will create safer access to shops on both sides of the rail line, the beach and public transport and improved accessibility for all. Council will be looking at ways that Chelsea can be further revitalised as part of the work on the Chelsea Structure Plan and we’ll soon be looking for your input on how we can improve our local shopping strip. Stay tuned for more information in 2021.

Hello Patterson Lakes, Carrum and Bonbeach residents, I have begun to make headway with core council functions from graffiti removal to community centre operations. Summary: I have passed six notices of motions in the chamber since November, including for a mental health grant application process for community groups, to drive economic development including promoting traders and our coast, establishing Patterson Lakes and Carrum/ Bonbeach traders’ associations, property development application stakeholder relations improvements, hotspot graffiti management and advocacy for an upgraded litter trap on Patterson River upstream. Discussions have also been had with Frankston City Council regarding landscaping improvements of Eel Race Rd. Meanwhile the Bonbeach Reserve master plan is underway with consultation of user groups, while the CPL football pavilion nears completion and Bonbeach LSC construction progresses. Notably, the council has raised concerns with VicRoads amid an increasing number of collisions and near misses at the new McLeod Rd intersection, including complaints relating to access, light sequencing and driver confusion. Home is where the heart is: we live in a unique part of Melbourne by the bay, with wetlands to the north and south bound in part by Patterson River and Kananook Creek. I hope everyone has enjoyed a little bit of vitamin sea this summer, ventured out to explore more of our own backyard and if possible, supported our local restauranteurs and eateries. I also wanted to congratulate Carrum food-bank charity, Pantry 5000 for being named Community Group of the Year. Email preferred for contact. Insta @camhowe

Like me you’ve probably had a lot more time to discover your local parks, reserves and beaches over the past 12 months, thanks to restrictions. Our neighbourhood open spaces and natural assets have become more important than ever to us. In Sandpiper ward we are lucky to have an abundance of natural assets including our stunning foreshore areas and the incredible Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands, rich with hundreds of bird species. As a Council, we are committed to protecting our natural environment and, when we can, securing new parcels of land for community parkland, like the 3500 square metres of land in Dents Reserve in nearby Chelsea we purchased last year. We’re proud to also be making significant investments to improve local sporting facilities. I know a lot of families in our ward will be exciting that work is starting on the brand new $3.6 million pavilion for the Aspendale Gardens Sports Ground. So many of our young residents are already enjoying the upgraded sporting fields there, now community sport is back on after COVID. We going to see a lot of redevelopment happening in our neighbourhood and nearby wards this year as part of the Level Crossing Removal Project. Council’s Business Support Team, thanks to LXRP funding, is engaging specialist marketing consultant to work with businesses in Chelsea, Bonbeach & Edithvale to help support them during the upcoming LXRP works in the area. Let’s keep shopping local to show our support during the coming disruptions.

Pop a Wheelie! Try our new pop-up bike parking We’re trialling pop-up bike parking in Kingston to make it easier for residents and visitors to shop local and get around, while encouraging exercise and helping to reduce emissions. Take a ride into Chelsea’s Victory Park carpark and check out ‘the Wheelie’. The pop-up bike stands accommodate nine bikes instead of one car: six on the bottom and three on top. You’ll need to ‘pop a wheelie’ to get your bike on the top rack. Wheelie like it? Want one somewhere else? Share your feedback at kingston.vic.gov.au/thewheelie Longbeach Ward’s Cr Georgina Oxley and Sandpiper Ward’s Cr David Eden pop a wheelie at Chelsea’s Victory Park.

kingston.vic.gov.au | Page 15

AUTUMN 2021 SUNDAY 7 MARCH Clean Up Australia Day Lend a hand to clean up your local park, street or beach on Clean Up Australia Day! To find an event near you visit cleanupaustraliaday.org.au

What's On Get Fit at the Chelsea Activity Hub Try a BodyFit, Gentle Exercise, Power Bar or Tai Chi class at the Chelsea Activity Hub. Different classes are available on different days of the week. Call 9773 9735 to find out more and to book. Zumba Classes Mordialloc Neighbourhood House | Mondays 9.30-10.30am Low impact Zumba class for people of all ages and ability. It’s fun, safe and easy. $80 per term or $15 casually. Call 95874534 to find out more.

MONDAY 15 MARCH Arts Blitz 2021 online registrations close Plus secret theme revealed!

COMMUNITY EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES ARE BACK! Now restrictions have eased, Kingston’s many community centres, neighbourhood houses and clubs are again running events, programs and activities. Why not visit mycommunitylife.com.au and see what’s happening in your local area. There are also plenty of volunteering opportunities for you to get involved in your community.

And

TUESDAY 16 MARCH

Colour My World

Cheltenham Community Centre | Mondays 10-11am

Community Morning Tea Longbeach PLACE Inc, Chelsea A monthly morning tea and chat to help people connect with each other. Call 9776 1386 for details.

Longbeach PLACE, Chelsea Mondays | 10.30am - 12pm

Zumba Gold is a modified class for active older adults. $10 per class. Call 9583 0095 for more details.

Get together with other adults to colour and interact socially. Join us each Monday morning during school terms only. Classes cost just $2. Call 9776 1386 for details.

SATURDAY 1 MAY SUNDAY 28 MARCH

Hurry up and register for Kingston’s favourite community art competition! Artists and writers of all ages and abilities have 24-hours to create a piece of work based on a secret theme. Find out more at kingstonarts.com.au

Bollywood Workout Aspendale Gardens Community Centre on every Wednesday 7.30 - 8.30pm Come and experience the magic of Bollywood and learn some hip shaking Bollywood dance moves.

Applications close for Kingston’s Annual Grants including Arts Grants Artists and community arts groups seeking funding for innovative new artworks are invited to apply. In 2021 there are three arts grant categories available. Turn to page 2 to read more about grants on offer or visit kingstonarts.com.au

Kingston Farmers’ Market Bring your friends and family to the Kingston Farmers’ Market and buy your fresh produce direct from the producer. First Saturday of each month.

SATURDAY 20 MARCH Dingley Village Farmers Market

APRIL

8.30am - 1pm

Connecting Couches

You’re invited to come along on the third Saturday of the month to the Dingley Village Farmers Market showcasing the best Victorian Farmers and Producers. Free entry and parking.

MARCH Happy Kids Sports Chelsea Heights Community Centre

FREE MOVIES

Weekly Movie Afternoons at Chelsea Activity Hub Thursdays 1 - 3pm Bored of TV enjoy a new release or classic film on the big screen at the Hub for FREE. ontact 9773 9735 for upcoming session titles.

Sport classes for preschool children. Learn basic skills of soccer, AFL, rugby, tennis and basketball.

Classic Cinema at the Sundowner Community Centre Mondays 11.30am - 1.30pm

Mondays and Fridays. Charges apply. Call 0408337399 to book.

Enjoy weekly classic movies. Call 8551 1206 for upcoming titles.

Online via ZOOM Mondays to Fridays 11 - 11:30am This free online program gives people living with disability the opportunity to connect, interact and have some fun. Try a range of activities including drumming, yoga, music and art. Call Kat on 8521 6183 for more details. Chelsea’s BIG Breakfast Chelsea Community Church of Christ | Every Wednesday morning | 7 - 10am Free weekly ‘Big Breakfast’ for those who are homeless and ‘doing it tough’. Enjoy a 3-course breakfast in an environment of compassion and respect.

Discover Kingston’s many fantastic community groups, events and activities with mycommunitylife.com.au It’s 100% local and easy to search by location, date or type of activity you’re looking for. There is no easier way to make stronger connections in your local neighbourhood.

Chelsea Twilights is coming back in 2021! Look out for information on our website and social channels for what’s planned for this year’s program. With a program of activities, trivia, movies and guest speakers it is the perfect chance to connect with your local community, try something new and have some fun.