DANDENONG
dandenong.starcommunity.com.au
Monday, 18 December, 2017
@StarJournal_SE
/DandenongStarJournal
A long trek home for Vlad
Businesses on a virtual winner
Powerhouse Bucks are on the charge
PAGE 3
PAGE 14
SPORT
40¢ Inc. GST
com. au
property
Property Lift out
Phoenix is on the rise Street art is adorning the Dandenong Market in a nod to traders’ resilience, work ethic and tenacity. Scottie ‘Bonsai’ Neoh painted Rising Phoenix on the external Bazaar wall facing Cleeland Street on Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 December. It’s eight metres high, 14 metres wide and Bonsai said: “The powerful and elegant phoenix embodies regeneration and power - a positive and powerful symbol of tenacity and resilience.” The market will install up to 15 streetstyle artworks of various sizes, inside and outside over the next three years. Artist Scottie “Bonsai” Neoh works on the phoenix. 176154
Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
Free parking trial By Casey Neill Dandenong shoppers can park free of charge this Christmas to give CBD businesses a boost. But some Greater Dandenong Councillors say the $247,000 move could do more harm than good. At the Monday 11 December council meeting, Councillor Jim Memeti successfully suggested the Christmas bonus run from Monday 18 December to Friday 19 January. Cr Maria Sampey followed up with a motion that Dandenong Market parking also be included. Time limits will still apply to the parking spac-
es, and the multi-decks in Thomas and Walker streets will not be included. Cr Memeti said there were more than 80 empty shops in the area. “People are not coming to the CBD,” he said. “Christmas Day and Boxing Day are pretty slow in Dandenong. “In January, many offices will be closed for holidays.” But Cr Matthew Kirwan said parking spots in the area were heavily used and the meters helped to ensure turnover. “The biggest issue is the lack of car parking,” he said. “Parking revenue can help to fund more spaces.”
On the empty stores, Cr Kirwan said there were other issues at play. “I get complaints about right-hand turn restrictions,” he said. “I get it put to me that it’s easier to have an office set up just off the freeway. “To put vacancies down to just paid car parking to me makes no logical sense.” Cr Kirwan said many government and nonprofit employees would still be at work through the holidays, and said figures showed that parking revenue was only marginally lower for the period. He said that last time a parking amnesty was trialled, in late 2006-early 2007, traders parked
in front of their own shops, parkers overstayed, parking compliance officers were swamped and businesses were starved of customers. He said the current move would cause “confusion and angst” when the free parking reverted back to paid. “We will lose a significant amount of council revenue, without any evidence it will help traders.” Cr O’Reilly said the move would likely benefit people who were already willing to pay rather than encouraging new shoppers to come in. “What services are you going to cut, because that’s real money - it’s not Monopoly money,” he said.
Tax Returns TAKE Under 21 THE S T R OUT OE S S Half Price F TAX Rental Investors FREE PROPERTY INVESTMENT ANALYSER SOFTWARE
DANDENONG 9794 0010 LYNDALE PHARMACY 68 Menzies Ave, Dandenong North. Ph 9792 1789
SALE - FRAGRANCES & GIFTS - SALE
12372373-HM47-17
1222553-PB15-16