NEWS STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
Drivers wanted to steer program By Charlene Macaulay
Learner driver Abraham Mathet with L2P co-ordinator Lisa Pisani. (Joe Mastroianni)
Wyndham and Hobsons Bay L-platers are getting a helping hand getting behind the wheel. The state government last week launched the WynBay L2P program, which recruits volunteers to help disadvantaged young people get their driver’s licences. The volunteers will use specially provided cars to supervise up to 40 learner drivers under the age of 21 who are finding it difficult to clock up the required 120 driving hours due to family, economic or other circumstances.
The L2P program has helped 3953 young people across the state get their P-plates and given nearly 10,000 learners on-road driving practice since launching in 2010. Wyndham council safer communities portfolio holder Kim McAliney said the initiative would have a real impact on the wider community. “By introducing a program like L2P, we can help young people gain the skills they need to become safer drivers,” Cr McAliney said. “Road safety is a major issue in our community. Over the last five years, 2635 young drivers aged between 18 and 25
were involved in collisions in Wyndham and Hobsons Bay. Tragically, 10 of these young people were killed and 321 were seriously injured.” Wyndham and Hobsons Bay councils, VicRoads, Laverton Integrated Services, Bendigo Bank Community Grants Program and Kia Motors Hoppers Crossing are supporting the initiative. To join an L2P program, participants must be aged between 16 and 20, hold a current learner’s permit and not have access to a vehicle, a supervising driver or both. For more information, go to bit.ly/1s61XM2
Evolve wins link land Property developer Evolve has splashed out $8.51 million on a Footscray development site offloaded by the state government. It is understood more than 18 tenders were lodged for the 4341 square metre parcel of land at 130-186 Buckley Street. The site, a mix of houses and commercial properties on a 280-metre stretch of Buckley Street, was compulsorily acquired for the Regional Rail Link line several years ago. It had been expected to fetch more than $4 million. Evolve director Ashley Williams said plans were still in a preliminary stage. “It probably lends itself to a townhouse-style development. It’s got a lot of frontage to Buckley Street,” Mr Williams said. Teska Carson agent George Takis, who handled the marketing campaign, declined to comment on the details of the deal but said “the outcome was extraordinary”.
The deal is part of a huge property sell-down by the government, including suburban schools and a swath of properties in Parkville, Collingwood and Clifton Hill acquired for the shelved EastWest Link. In the past month, five Clifton Hill houses have sold for a total $5.06 million, including 367 Wellington Street for $1.63 million and 137 Gold Street for $1 million. Next week, the former Jimmy Possum furniture showroom at 16 Alexandra Parade, an 880 square metre building on a 1062 square metre site, goes to auction through Savills. In Footscray, a 6.9-hectare development site on McNab Avenue fetched $13.5 million in February and other Buckley Street properties have sold totalling more than $6 million. Nicole Lindsay/The Age
This Buckley Street house once stood on the site of the new $8.51 million development. (supplied)
HOBSONS BAY IS NOT YOUR ASHTRAY Please butt it, then bin it. With your help, we can extinguish our biggest litter problem. Council has installed more cigarette butt bins in prominent areas across Hobsons Bay and free personal ashtrays are available at the Hobsons Bay Civic Centre in Altona. Find out more: www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/buttit-binit
Connected, green, healthy
14 MARIBYRNONG & HOBSONS BAY STAR WEEKLY \ JUNE 14, 2017