January 25, 2012
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- January 25, 2012 at 4:09 PM
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Glen Eira Debates %d
January 25, 2012 at 6:37 PM
The obsession with concrete is unbelievable. Our parks are concrete mazes. Whoever designed these disasters should be sacked and those that okayed it along with them. It’s lunacy to have a shared path where bikers can speed along right next to a playground where kids are running around. There’s also no reason why there should be so much gravel around adult equipment. By the look of this they take up half of the open space. It would be fascinating to know how many kilometres of concrete have been poured into our parks in the last 5 years and how much this has cost us.
January 25, 2012 at 7:38 PM
Wow! Imagine that a council other than Glen Eira can have four ovals without a stitch of concrete anywhere and wonder of wonders, plenty of green grass and trees everywhere. Dear old Andrew can only have 2 ovals and kilometres of concrete that go nowhere.
January 25, 2012 at 8:22 PM
It’s Bentleigh Higgins Reserve, my rough measure on Google Earth reveals a conservative but staggering 1.8 kilometre in concrete pathway in this one park.
Goodness knows how many tonnes that is, it would be a significant amount
Just wait till we get the bill to remove this concrete, some day in the future when its deemed a health hazard by the Risk Manager. The removal cost may well exceed the installation costs many times over.
It is a question of environment sustainability. The Town Hall thinks they are saving money by using concrete, because it’s low maintenance, it is just lay it and walk away, mentality.
This is a slash and burn mentality, it refuses to take into account any other important factors like the large carbon footprint that concrete has, the future removal costs and the disposal costs. These last two are very energy intensive activities, that are becoming increasingly expensive. All these concreting costs need to be accounted for NOW, before it is poured into our green areas. Why? because these things are going to be very expensive in a decade or two. And on the run-away level that concrete is being used in Glen Eira it is worth a pause in habit and a time for reflection.
It’s way past the time we should be thinking of sustainable development in Glen Eira, other councils are managing to think these issues through, and not surprising they are coming up with better alternative. In my travel around Melbourne and other capitals, it is only Glen Eira that steams along this path of concreting like there is no tomorrow.
Its not about, no pathway in our Green areas, pathways are good and people enjoy using them. Its about choosing the right products and method for the right reasons. If we took sustainable living principals into considerations, we would end up with different outcome within or Green areas.
Using concrete just because it’s cheap for now, is as bad a reason as anyone could possible come up with. This type flawed management and decision making happen to often in Glen Eira Green areas.
Our councillors should be on the wake-up by now, and goad management into exploring other options for the sake of the future.
I give full points to Cr Neil Pilling, who sadly unsupported by the majority of other councillors failed to stop a 15 hundred plus metre pour in Lord Reserve. And brick-batts to Cr Margaret Esakoff who had the casting vote, in a locked vote, and voted for the concrete option.
January 25, 2012 at 8:46 PM
Also worth remembering is the schemozzle of Caulfield park and the first vote for a gravel path only to be overturned and more concrete paths added. Then of course there was further ripping up of an existing bluestone path, moving ovals to make up for the larger footprint of the megapalace (pavilion) and its replacement by more concrete.
January 26, 2012 at 8:05 PM
I think you night find that the staff in the Glen Eira Council take equity seriously. Ever tried pushing a wheel chair or a pram around a gravel or wood chip path. Cr. Pilling may not care for disabled people but the people that frame the laws do. The pavillion in Caulfield Park is great. Most people like it. I am of the view that most of the bloggers on this site do not support organised sport, footy, cricket and soccer. They will never win. Organised sport will win every time as will people with a disability. Cr. Esakoff understands that disabled people should have access to parks as well as the dog people and the jocks.
January 25, 2012 at 9:53 PM
There is plenty of documentation around that supports the provision of sporting facilitiies and the need to preserve passive recreational areas. What these pictures show is that Council have only read the sporting facilities documentation. An absolute shame and disgrace … since the two, with a minimal amount of forethought or planning, can co-incide.
January 25, 2012 at 10:12 PM
There are some footpaths around the perimeter of a playing area and some on the lead-up in the 2nd pic. The paths probably take-up 5% of the total area.
Most parks have paths that run around the perimeter and serve a useful purpose. Maybe some of you guys like walking through the slush in winter. Not me!
I much prefer the concrete than the black cheap tar they use in some parkland. Like that in the small linear park in Oakleigh Road that is cracked, has not clear defineable edges, and which has tree roots causing ridges.
Reckon there are some here who are a tad obsessed with the concrete perimeter paths. There are significant issues under discussion here and in the community generally. By comparison this is small fry.
January 25, 2012 at 10:28 PM
Nope, this isn’t “small fry”. It represents much of what’s wrong with the way planning and financial responsibility works under Newton and his buddies. When you’re facing a cash flow crisis and borrowing 25 million you don’t go spending millions and millions on putting yellow brick roads everywhere and making each park look identical. (Have a look at the budget) Don’t forget there are also the large slabs of concrete plinthing all over the place. You don’t replace perfectly good wooden bollards with concrete blocks just so that everything looks the same.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not against paths – they obviously serve a purpose. That doesn’t mean that you put them everywhere where they’re not needed (Lord Reserve is the perfect example – a path that goes nowhere and many others around rotundas to the existing path about 10 metres away. What’s wrong with grass? You won’t find other councils working in the same way and hell’s bells – plenty even like gravel! Then just to round off the point, it wouldn’t hurt if people were asked if they really wanted all this concrete everywhere. But I reckon you don’t think much of people having a say!
January 25, 2012 at 10:48 PM
What they’ve done at Lord Reserve is improve it. A small path around the perimeter enhances its functionality . Know a bit about that park in winter. It can be a slush pool in parts.
Um! – “putting yellow brick roads everywhere and making each park look identical” is candidly nonsense. Methinks you’re at tad obsessed. 😉
Many more substantive issues out there. Particularly matters of honesty and integrity that run to the heart of municipal administration. Which makes me ask why the Caulfield Glen Eira Leader haven’t pursued the Lipshutz matter. Is it because of the papers way-too-cosy association with the Council and admin? Or because Lipshutz’s firm is a regular advertiser. Hmmm!
Apologies for the diversion.
January 26, 2012 at 9:47 AM
“A small path around the perimeter enhances its functionality”. [Is Paul Burke or Cr Esacoff writing this nonsense]
Is a two metre wide pseudo path come vehicle access road around the 3 sides of Lord a small path, come off the grass.
The answer to slushy areas in parks is not to concrete them.
This was meant to be an exercise track. No-one jogs or should be encouraged to jog on concrete.
I would have preferred the huge cost of this folly to be spent on trees in the park, a children’s play ground near the school would have been well used, instead tonnes and tonnes of yellow concrete that is little used. It has chewed up and destroyed the little passive open that was left in that park. More Kindergartens are needed in Glen Eira. Lets have Kindergartenss before concrete. They almost cost the same.
I think people should declare if they have interest or shares in concrete companies, because this concrete madness in our parks is a Glen Eira phenomenon. No one else is looking at Glen Eira and saying we like this, and copying us.
January 26, 2012 at 12:18 PM
“I think people should declare if they have interest or shares in concrete companies”
Maybe obsessive compulsives too? 🙂
January 26, 2012 at 8:17 PM
You obviously come from a family that does not include disabled or old people. Needeing a wheelchair does not mean that a person is obsessive compulsive or owns shares in a concrete business. You sound to me like a heartless person.
January 26, 2012 at 9:18 PM
Always difficult to respond to folk who don’t bother to use an identifying pseudonym.
I was merely responding in jest to a silly and irrelevant comment re shares and concrete.
Heartless? Don’t think so! In fact, I would have thought folk needing wheeled assistance to get about would have seen the functional advantage of the firm walkways around parks. As would mothers with prams and bicycle riders.
It would be interesting to hear what the alternatives are from the naysayers to the above and others who find the hard surfaces easier to navigate. Lilydale toppings have proven not to be the answer and are pricey to keep in good condition. Asphalt, which the Council has laid elsewhere, is hideous and dangerous. Have a look at the linear park in Oakleigh Road running between Grange Road and Royal Parade. The asphalt is appalling. Not only is it cheap and nasty in appearance, it is cracked, tree roots have caused ridges and it has no definable edge. Heaven help us if the Council ever chose asphalt as the cheap and nasty answer to park walkways.
Methinks the person to whom I was responding is one of the partisan (being kind here 😉 ) doggy brigade who really don’t give a tinkers about those of us who want to use the parks for other reasons – and I do own a dog.
You know, the ones who bleated loudly on dear Mary’s blog that there would be bloodshed when the fences around Lord Reserve were removed. Hasn’t happened. Was never going to happen.
January 26, 2012 at 11:13 PM
Concrete paths are most suitable for wheel chairs and prams. The Glen Eira Council has got it right, this time. The parks should be accessible to all people. Pushing a pram or a wheelchair on lilydale topping is hard. As I have said earlier, I think gleneira is overlooking the reason for the concrete and mocking people that find it hard to get around on grass.
This is the reason they lay down concrete paths in parks. Not complicated, but there are plenty of people that support the ‘gleneira’ point of view. I do not own a dog and I think the parks are great.
January 26, 2012 at 4:39 PM
jumping jehoshaphat you really can see all that yellow concrete from outer space
January 26, 2012 at 11:01 PM
Don’t be fooled buy this nonsense.
There are a good few Grade 1 surfaces, which mean first class for wheelchairs use, concrete is but one choice.
Secondly don’t be so condescending, just because a person is in a wheelchair or disabled doesn’t mean their aesthetics senses are stuffed or they turn into concrete loving morons.
Many people are in wheelchairs or disabled because of accidents on concrete
Let the people that use wheelchairs speak for themselves, rather than have some ill informed pretender sandbagging weak claims with equally spurious assumptions.
January 26, 2012 at 11:50 PM
That ad hominen comment would do credit to Lipshutz.
Frankly, I have no idea what you are banging on about. I was speaking in support of those in wheelchairs. Sheesh!
I suspect you are the one who is concrete obsessed and the same one who made the wild statement about the municipality being concreted over followed by the one about those with shares in concrete companies declaring them here. 🙄
You’re very good at making sweeping statements So how about supporting the one about there being “a good few grade 1 surfaces” with some specifics?
January 27, 2012 at 8:25 PM
No spurious assupmtions, just facts. I can spot the Greenies by their language. Concrete is the only safe and affordable surface. This why the Council use it everywhere. You need to get with the program.
January 27, 2012 at 9:32 AM
“You obviously come from a family that does not include disabled or old people”
My reply was aimed at this blog comment.
But since you have taken it personally and jumped in “like a beggar into the soup bowl”
I did the research and it didn’t take that much effort, I suggest you get for your high horse and find out for yourself, because I think you could give a rats.
January 27, 2012 at 1:08 PM
Okay. So give the council admin and the blog readership the benefit of your so-called “research”. Otherwise it’s just more innaccurate unsubstantiated hot air.
January 27, 2012 at 3:52 PM
The council knows all about alternative surfaces for foot trafficked or bicycles pathways.
From there point of view they just want to be able to dive there vehicles into the parks on these concrete roadways. They just let us plebs use them when they are not.
January 27, 2012 at 4:46 PM
Yet another diversion. Let’s cut to the chase. There is no “research”. Merely another sweeping statement of yours that has no validity. As is your comment attributed to council admin for their reasons for choosing the surfaces they do.
January 27, 2012 at 8:48 PM
Did you say surfaces, with a S, if they choose surfaces maybe 50% of the time they would be getting the choice right. This is not the case.
All this impermeable surfacing on both council land and on private land, is going and is already causing problems with flooding, and heat sinking.
I would like to see council setting some standards of leadership with alternatives to avoid these problems instead of being the leaders in running over the cliff.
But I suppose that does take leadership, which is in short supply in Glen Eira council and with some residents, they and you have your heads well and truly buried in the concrete of denial.
January 27, 2012 at 11:51 PM
Still no evidence to support your vaccuos comments. Not surprising. The unfortunate thing is not that your comments claiming some “research” to back-up your wild ill considered claims have proven to be fiction but that it adds weight to the view at White Hall that we are not to be taken seriously. That is regrettable as there are many posters here who produce weighty considered evidence based comment.
January 31, 2012 at 12:46 AM
One sure thing if all the concrete paths do not cary warnings to avoid jogging and running on them… there will be more wheelchairs on the concrete paths in the near future. Concrete paths do not stop weed overgrowth maybe I could even suggest that other paths in Glen Eira are deliberatley overlooked and unkempt.