Our recent post on the upcoming council meeting highlighted the Recreation Committee’s Action Item to continue to ‘monitor’ sporting grounds. The ‘matter’ of unauthorised sporting groups and ground allocations is to be ‘considered at a future date.’ Please note that NO DATE was set, no real action taken, and hence nothing resolved. What is even more revealing is that the Council Meeting of 8th June, 2010 included minutes from the Sport and Recreation Committee meeting that took place on 1st April 2010. We quote:
“Level of Unauthorised Use on Sports Grounds
Cr Tang sought the views of Officers in relation to recent public questions and informal suggestions that clubs may have concerns about the use of sports facilities by groups without allocations..
MR&YS (Linda Smith) believes the relaxation of water restrictions will allow increased club allocation of sports grounds. This will likely reduce the level of discontent amongst clubs who often saw unauthorised users on grounds they could not use.
Action: Recreation staff to continue to monitor sports grounds.”
So, 10 months later we are still in the same position. Officers are to MONITOR. Gosh the wheels of democracy move at a glacial pace. No decisions, and no clarity. Well done administrators and councillors! We can only assume that when the problem becomes embarrassing, or difficult, the best solution is hope it goes away, or pretend that something is being done.
Glen Eira Debates 
January 30, 2011 at 11:46 AM
Typical of these Councillors, just sit back and do nothing whilst claiming to be saving the world. How hard can it be, you have a law and it gets enforced. If groups choose to openly break the law they get punished. This doesnt seem all kosher to me, what are our Councillors up to with toooooooooo?
January 30, 2011 at 3:24 PM
“We can only assume that when the problem becomes embarrassing, or difficult, the best solution is hope it goes away, or pretend that something is being done.”
Could not have said it any better, well done GED, you certainly hit the nail on the head.
January 30, 2011 at 5:27 PM
Lipshutz is on the Local Laws Committee as is Tang. They haven’t done their jobs properly. If they had they would have ‘reviewed’ their baby, and made the appropriate changes. Now that it’s all out in the open, looks like the buck is being passed to the Sports and Rec Committee. In this way both Tang and Lipshutz see themselves getting off the hook! Clever little things they are! It’s really wonderful when we have a sporting committee making decisions on local law. Keep up the good work Ms. Smith and cohorts!
January 31, 2011 at 2:00 PM
Got another one for you folks – only this one has a promises without any action or timetable for action.
In July 2009 Council and the MRC issued a joint communiqué, which stated that at some time in the future training facilities would be removed from Caulfield to a more suitable locality away from the metropolitan area. It further stated that the area that houses the stables and the training facilities would be returned to the Council for public use. The timing was unspecified and the MRC was to provide Council with an annual update on progress.
Where is 2009/2010 update? (now more than 6 months overdue)
At the C60 planning panel hearing the MRC indicated that the logistics of the move meant it was not possible to move “quickly”. As part of the appalling 2010 land swap, 691 m2 of land will remain as stabling for 10 years.
As I look at the recent MRC $50 million purchase of hotels, review the MRC’s resources and note the number of horses trucked into Caulfield on race days, I am left wondering why there is no timeline and why the move is taking so long (it was first raised in 2007). The MRC, and the racing industry, obviously have the land and funds, moving “valuable, highly strung” animals is not an issue so what is missing? I suggest what’s missing is the will and it’s missing from both Council and MRC.
13 years to move approximately 600 horses? Compare this with the progress of the appalling C60 overdevelopment.
January 31, 2011 at 2:09 PM
From Caulfield Leader on this point –
Caulfield Racecourse trainers given boot
News2 Jul 08 @ 11:24am by Paul Riordan
Caulfield Racecourse trainers given boot
HORSE training at Caulfield Racecourse is expected to end, with stables removed and turned into public open space.
But any move might be some years off, according to one prominent trainer.
Glen Eira Council and Melbourne Racing Club signed an agreement this week stating once training has been moved, racecourse land occupied by stables will be handed to the council and incorporated into neighbouring Glen Huntly Park.
Horse trainers will stay for the “medium term”, but a decision is expected soon to finally move all training away from the metropolitan area.
The move comes amid pressure from community groups and the State Government, who have pushed the racing club and racecourse trustees for improved access to Crown land in the centre of the course.
“The MRC and council support any industry initiative to relocate training from the Caulfield Racecourse and desire this to happen as expediently as possible,” the statement, seen by the Leader, says.
At last night’s council meeting councillors were delighted by the news, but admitted there was more work to be done.
Councillor and racecourse trustee Helen Whiteside said it was a “great step forward”.
Cr Michael Lipshutz said: “This shows that the MRC is susceptible to the pressure of the community.”
There are about 500 horses at Caulfield with more than 20 trainers based there.
Trainer Colin Little said moving all trainers from the course would take years.
“Training is a necessary evil … even if appropriate land was found tomorrow it would take at least five years (for training to be relocated),” Mr Little said.
“We need big expansive land that the industry could be proud of for a very long time.”
More details to come.
THEN THERE IS THIS LATER ARTICLE –
Caulfield horseplay to stay
Local News9 Jun 09 @ 05:30am by Jenny Ling
Trainers Ross and Margaret McDonald want horse training to stay – permanently. PIC: DAVID SMITH N48CK313
MELBOURNE Racing Club’s chief says Caulfield’s racehorse trainers will stay put – for now.
Residents have also backed prominent trainers in their bid to keep their stables and continue training in the suburb.
Racing club chief executive Warran Brown could not say whether training would ever move from the racecourse, casting fresh doubt over an agreement between the MRC and Glen Eira Council.
Letters of support came pouring in after the Leader reported trainers’ frustration with people who wanted them gone.
They said the stabling and training made the area unique and urged councillors to preserve its heritage.
Peter Monroe said the racecourse was publicly held land, used to host a “tremendous racing facility, which has been the case for far longer than any current Caulfield/Glen Eira resident has been around”.
Ashleigh Burcombe said it was a “living, breathing part of our working-class history” and resident Kate Birrell said the area was “well and truly blessed”.
The council and MRC agreed training would eventually be moved and the land incorporated into Glen Huntly Park to provide more sports facilities.
But Mr Brown said trainers would have a minimum of “five years’ rolling notice if and when they ever need to shift”.
“At the moment they’re not (moving). They’re definitely staying,” Mr Brown said.
Mayor Helen Whiteside said trainers should move to Cranbourne, Pakenham or Narre Warren. She said a Crown grant said Caulfield racecourse had three uses – racing, public parkland and recreation.
“I believe that’s the way it should be.”
January 31, 2011 at 3:53 PM
I don’t think I have ever seen a posting on this website or a letter to the any newspaper from a resident supporting retention of training at Caulfield Racecourse. I have seen lots opposing it so I wonder just where that reported resident support comes from!
January 31, 2011 at 8:07 PM
Just look at previous articles from this ‘journalist’. The only person she refers to when writing an article on Caulfield racecourse is Brian Discombe!