Numerous angry residents have contacted us in regards to another event held today at the Caulfield Racecourse. This time it was the CFMEU (construction workers) annual picnic. By all reports traffic was mayhem, noise unbelievable, and of course, cars parked in the racecourse itself. Entrance for union members was $30!
We raise this issue since events at the racecourse are proliferating at an incredible rate. In fact the Glen Eira News itself is featuring a large advertisement for a ‘food’ spectacular early next year.
Residents were lead to believe that an ‘agreement’ exists between Council and the MRC as to the number of events permissible per year outside of racing. But what has never been made clear is WHEN this agreement is supposed to actually start! There’s up to a 5 year leeway for removal of fences. Again, when does 5 years start – in three years’ time? All appears to be in favour of the MRC and council sits silently by and allows public amenity to be abused time and time again. Either there is an agreement with a specific starting date or there isn’t. It’s about time that this Council fessed up to what is really going on.
Glen Eira Debates 
December 6, 2011 at 9:36 AM
I’m so happy that there is a agreement in place and that the gang can be so proud of their achievements in furthering my interests. It’s wonderful to know that I can actually park my car outside my home at least 300 days a year and that the noise level will be kept below 1000 decibels. I’m also ecstatic that the money the MRC continues to reap will flow back into council’s pockets and will be distributed to the community. Will this utopia begin before 2020 though?
December 6, 2011 at 10:08 AM
According to the “agreement” by April next year there will be:
More facilities for the community to enjoy including a picnic area by the lake, large dog off leash area, walking and jogging paths and a junior soccer pitch. The lake area will be available to the public 352 days a year and the whole of the centre on all days other than race days and major event days.
• Additional access will be provided including a new pedestrian route from Neerim Road across the racecourse, vehicle access through the tunnel after 9.30am with 20 car spaces reserved for the community and a separate footpath through the tunnel.
• Fences will be converted to open up views across the Reserve starting with the corner of Neerim Rd and Queens Avenue.
• If horse training is transferred from Caulfield, additional areas will be added to Glenhuntly Park.
No work has commenced to date and with Christmas approaching there is no way that the project will be ready per the agreement. What an embarrassment to Council in an election year!
December 6, 2011 at 10:21 AM
interesting that MRC gets reduced rates and they act as a commercial enterprise holding these events. Who gets the money for the Monash car parking at the corner of queens and normandy road. Also instead of being coverted into more sporting ovals which are unused most of the time. Could the area at the corner of Queens and Neerim Road be converted to community gardens for people to grow food. There are so many apartments in the area now so there is a real need
December 6, 2011 at 10:34 AM
Dear anonymous,
your appeal for a “community garden” is not new. Cr Pilling raised this issue on his blog quite recently. However, like all good ideas presented at council, this one has also been still born. We draw readers’ attention to the minutes of 21st March, 2005 where it is recorded –
“Crs Grossbard/Bury
That a report be brought forward to a future briefing meeting in regard to the feasibility of establishing a community garden in the municipality. Such a report to look at the need, the cost, potential sites, potential liabilities and
potential capital and operating costs.
The MOTION was put and CARRIED unanimously”.
Nearly 7 years later the same questions are being asked. Like the MRC/Council “agreement”, this will probably take another 7 years to surface and then disappear into the secret backrooms of council.
December 6, 2011 at 7:15 PM
Whats most interesting is that the Melbourne Racing Club have earmarked the site on the corner of Queens St and Normandy Rd as 2 high rise carparks. It will make the MRC a motza and Newton wants it built…only issue is it is a public park. Stay tuned.
December 6, 2011 at 10:50 PM
Of course Newton wants it built. C60 has absolutely inadequate carparking as is evident by the MRC and Council agreement that the MRC will pay for restricted parking signage (free but with time limit on one side only) in nearby residential streets. Parking restrictions which, current experience shows, Council has no intention of enforcing (just take a look at Council’s current performance on parking restrictions in the area between Queens Ave and the railway line).
You think the MRC carparks will be free … no sir, they will be paid. Currently Council gets $1 for each carpark (on crown land, i.e. public park) of the $5 per day the MRC gets. If the MRC builds a multistorey carpark on the crown land a.k.a. public park, Council revenue will increase but the MRC revenue will increase a heck of a lot more. But shucks what a good deal for Glen Eira!!!!
And jeez who cares about residential streets, it aint the MRC’s or Council’s fault if a certain percentage (growing larger by the day) of the financially stressed population (distant commuters, university staff and students or the 15,000 per day C60 workers and patrons) would rather go further afield into residential streets to save $30 per week car parking. Let’s not make the MRC provide adequate parking when we can sacrifice residential amenity instead.
December 6, 2011 at 10:25 AM
Reckon there’s been at least 15 events since April. Supposed to be only 10. Brilliant job Newton and the gang.
December 6, 2011 at 11:25 PM
Yep you are right Anon there have been at least 15 events since April. Unfortunately they were not classified as “major” as were the “10” – but then again has anyone seen what the definition of what “major” is.
All us poor insignificant residents know is that time and time again
events are held at the Racecourse which result in
. nearby residential streets being clogged with parked cars and Council fails to enforce parking restrictions (unless a resident complains – why doesn’t Council know an event is being held before hand and take appropriate action ?)
. during each of these events access to the centre of the racecourse is shutdown (without notification or signage). This is because either the Trustees or the MRC have decided that it is much easier to shut the centre down than it is to comply with the Queens Caveat by managing the flow of event patrons.
Incidentally, the Queens Caveat means that the racecourse reservation is for the three equal purposes of racecourse, public park and public recreation ground. Racecourse has been allowed to dominate and seen a drastic erosion in the other two purposes.
December 6, 2011 at 11:47 AM
If community gardening was a sport, we would have had many hectares worth of space provide for that sport event, and a ship load of cash to back it up as well.
Bring on celebrity community gardening, the biggest and quickest carrot wins
I suppose that counts out Paul Burke, oh well, not all is fair and well in Glen Eira
December 6, 2011 at 12:36 PM
There’s no earthly reason why the MRC should be in any hurry to do anything. Implementing the agreement only means that their revenue stream will be reduced and they will have to spend money on the centre and the fences. The longer they delay it the greater their profits. Council just goes along with anything they say and do.
December 6, 2011 at 6:22 PM
I don’t remember seeing any set of minutes from the Racecourse Committee for months and months now. Does anyone know if this committee has met, or have they left it all to Newton?
December 6, 2011 at 7:50 PM
CAULFIELD RACECOURSE RESERVE TRUSTEES
The next meeting of Trustees of the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve [CRR] will be held on Thursday, 1 December 2011.
Trustee meetings are not open to the General Public; however at the last meeting of Trustees it was resolved that any Glen Eira resident wishing to address a specific Agenda Item as listed by the Trustees, must first submit their request in writing to the Chairman in advance of the CRR Trustees meeting. The Trustees will then consider the request and, if appropriate, invite the resident to attend for that specific agenda item only.
Correspondence should be addressed to:
The Chairman
Caulfield Racecourse Reserve
Level 1
25 Flinders Lane
Melbourne
VIC 3000
December 6, 2011 at 8:28 PM
Dear anon,
without wishing to answer for Mr Evans we point out that the Trustees are an entirely separate group. Mr Evans was presumably referring to the Racecourse Special Committee that was set up by Council to ‘negotiate’ all issues with the MRC. Hope this clears things up.
December 6, 2011 at 8:53 PM
Can’t find the minutes anywhere. Anyone know what was discussed. Perhaps Mr Magee who is a regular contributor to this website and a Council member of the trustees?
December 6, 2011 at 9:32 PM
Trustee minutes are top secret and never published. That is, unless it suits the political purpose. Which makes an absolute mockery of councillors being trustees and the “conflict of interest” snare which gags them all. To my mind no councillor should be a trustee if their first priority is to the MRC & trustees. They were elected to represent the people of Glen Eira first and foremost and not the top end of Bourke St. It’s a real travesty that Forge, Magee and Tang (when he bothers to show up that is) owe a greater allegiance to these bloodsuckers than they do to their constituents. In the end you’ve got to wonder what good they’re doing anyway when they only have 3 votes out of 13 or 14 carefully selected yes men.
December 13, 2011 at 9:41 AM
Trustee meetings are secret, just like our council meetings are secretive. Both are orchestrated by a small group of power brokers.
The three Councillor-Trustees (out of a total of fifteen Trustees) can only be tokens in the game. The three were never meant to influence proceedings of the racecourse trust. Just like our token Councillors, who never influence the operation of Glen Eira council. Our three trustees – who are supposed to represent the public interest – are, to use a horsey phrase, nobbled before the starting gate opens.
The blame rests squarely on the shoulders of the Minister.It is time he grasped the nettle and cleaned up the whole sordid mess. No more covers ups.