KEIL
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Connecting people and communities
Tuesday, 26 November, 2013 Page 3
Crossing concerns By ALESHA CAPONE THOUSANDS of people worried about safety and congestion have called for the Melton Highway level crossing near Watergardens Train Station to be upgraded. Dorian Papadopoulos started the Facebook group titled ’Melton Highway NEEDS an Underpass/ Overpass’ on 30 October and the page has since gathered almost 2500 supporters. Mr Papadopoulos said as a frequent user of the Melton Highway, he allows for 20-30 minute-plus delays to get to Watergardens or onto the Calder Freeway, even though he
lives five minutes away. “Since the Sydenham metro line has been extended to Sunbury, it’s become a disastrous and dangerous crossing, with many drivers becoming impatient and illegally running the red lights at the crossing,” he said. “I don’t want us to become the next Main Rd on St Albans, where their local community has been fighting for an underpass at that level crossing for over 30 years.” Keilor MP Natalie Hutchins has launched a petition calling on the State Government to fix the highway crossing. Ms Hutchins said the heavy traf-
fic was also dangerous for students at two secondary schools near the crossing, as they sometimes illegally crossed the rails while the boomgates lowered. “I am concerned about that issue and would hate to see a tragedy occur,” Ms Hutchins said. She has encouraged residents to sign the petition to help get the Melton Highway crossing included in the Opposition’s plan to upgrade 50 of the state’s worst level crossings, if they are elected next year. Labor has selected 40 crossings for the list and will decide the remaining 10 after community feedback.
The RACV’s roads and traffic manager, Dave Jones, said the 2012 ‘Red Spot’ survey highlighted the Melton Highway crossing as a site residents are concerned about. “The Melton Highway was the number one location in Taylors Lakes for congestion,” Mr Jones said. A spokesperson for the Minister for Public Transport and Roads, Terry Mulder, said the former Labor Government “had 11 years to do something about the Melton Highway level crossing, but didn’t”. “The Labor Opposition’s transport plan also ignores the Melton Highway level crossing,” the spokesperson said.
Fight over industry bid By ALESHA CAPONE A COMMUNITY meeting will be held for Cairnlea residents to express concerns about a proposed residential and industrial development in the suburb. The meeting on Monday 2 December will be attended by MP Khalil Eideh, who has spoken out about aspects of the planned development in parliament. Places Victoria wants to redevelop land bordered by Cairnlea Drive and Ballarat Rd with 146 townhouses, 50 apartments, 80 commercial sites and an industrial area. Residents have banded together and formed a group, No Industrial Zone for Cairnlea, to fight the proposal. Among their concerns are a proposal to locate a park near the industrial estate on potentially contaminated land, the loss of 300 mature sugar gum trees and having a “concrete jungle of warehouses” built along Cairnlea Drive. The community meeting will be on 2 December 6.30pm at the Cairnlea Soccer Club, Kevin Flint Memorial Reserve, corner of Furlong Rd and Cairnlea Drive (enter from Furlong Rd).
Violence in the spotlight DEMANDS for family violence services are growing in the West as police refer a record number of victims for help. Women’s Health West (WHW) offers a family violence outreach service across Brimbank, Maribyrnong, Melton, Moonee Valley, Hobsons Bay and Wyndham. CEO of the not-for-profit group, Dr Robyn Gregory, said during 2012-2013 police referred 4025 family violence cases to WHW - an increase of 35 per cent on the previous 12 months. For help, call Women’s Health West on 9689 9588 during business hours, after hours on 9373 0123 or the Women’s Domestic Violence Crisis Services of Victoria on 1800 015 188.
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THE birth of a baby elephant inspired a nine-year-old Keilor pupil to create an award-winning artwork. Grade 3 student Isabelle entered her green papier-mache elephant named Marley into a recent art show at St Augustine’s Primary School. Out of more than 100 entries, Isabelle won the school’s overall art prize. Isabelle said she was inspired to make her artwork in honour the
young elephant Mali, who was born at Melbourne Zoo in 2010. A judge who visited St Augustine’s to pick the winner of the artistic competition described Isabelle’s sculpture as “eye-catching, detailed unique” and “one of a kind”. “I thought I wasn’t creative, but when I won I thought I was creative,” Isabelle said. After she placed first in the contest, Isabelle received a prize pack
including 60 pencils and other artistic materials. “I felt surprised because my friends came running up to me and then started to say I’d won,” she said. “My favourite subject is art because I get to do creative things.” Classes at St Augustine’s also created individual entries for the art show like a candy buffet, a tsunami wave and a beach scene - which Isabelle’s brother Noah helped to make. “I thought it was amazing because
everyone had different ideas,” Isabelle said. She said the hardest part of making her elephant came before she applied the papier-mache layer. “It would probably have been making the body because I had to scrunch the paper up, make it right and put sticky-tape on it to hold it together,” she said. Isabelle said she hoped to become a graphic designer or an artist in the future.
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