At last Tuesday’s council meeting the magical word APRIL was used by Lipshutz for the very first time as to the potential opening of GESAC. The usual spin featured in his report on the Pools Steering Committee. We were again told that everything is ‘on budget’ and ‘progressing well’. Council is of course, ‘disappointed’ that the opening is now at least 4 months late, but as usual that’s ‘no fault of ours’ only the builder’s but Council is ‘taking action’ via its liquidated damages. Lipshutz ended by hoping that the pool will be open ‘for the basketball season’.
Again we highlight the lack of substance in this so called ‘report’; the staggering claim that GESAC is ‘on budget’ despite no income for 4 months – just expenses. We also maintain that such spin is an insult to the intelligence of ratepayers since only the most gullible or imbecilic would believe a single word of this propaganda. When oh when will this council actually come clean and provide residents with the truth as to the full financials of this project?
One thing however has been successfully completed – the chopping in half of Bailey Reserve for the car park extension and the relocation of the playground. Extra unbudgeted cost – just under $1,000,000. The image below captures the full horror as of February 15th.
Glen Eira Debates 
March 7, 2012 at 8:01 AM
Glen Eira, another unbudgetted cost has to be the installation of the speed humps that have suddenly proliferated in the local streets behind GESAC.
Knowing Council’s reluctance to do anything to address traffic issues, the fact that they have done this suggests that even they are aware (and have known for some time) of the mess they have created.
No doubt, Council will write this expense off as road maintenance rather than where it should be – an additional capital expense in GESAC.
March 7, 2012 at 9:42 AM
True to form there is lots of that hideous yellow concrete in that there picture, all hard surfacing, not a tree for shade or a bush to soften the edges. A real concrete jungle in once parkland. It”s a 1960’s idea of a carpark.
March 7, 2012 at 10:34 AM
Looking at the image what struck me is the incredibly low number of cars in this car park. I would have thought that in February and now it would be chockas with workmen trying to get the project finished asap. There’s still plenty to do but where are they? People should take a drive down there just to see the gigantic oversized box and the ridiculous coloured slides sitting smack on the roadside. It’s the ugliest biggest eyesore even to descend on Glen Eira.
March 7, 2012 at 12:59 PM
It’s staggering how arguments can suddenly change to accommodate hidden agendas and decisions. We’ve gone through the minutes and found the initial application for building GESAC and then the Lipshutz (& undoubtedly Newton engineered) motion and accompanying report to extend the car park. Here are some lowlights. Residents also need to note the failure to assign any names to the report of 2011. Once again, transparency and accountability do not exist and residents have ‘rule by nobody’!
19TH May 2009 – Andrew Bromley, Town Planner
Councils Traffic Engineers consider that the number of car spaces provided on site will be able to accommodate the anticipated parking demand on a large majority of occasions. During peak usage periods (ie. summer weekend day) there will likely be an overflow of parking on to East Boundary Road, however this is considered appropriate as East Boundary Road is currently used for parking by users of Bailey Reserve, and it is not expected the demand for on street parking will exceed what is currently generated by the uses presently on the site.
19th July, 2011 – NO AUTHOR/RESPONSIBILITY ASSIGNED.
The Glen Eira Sports and Aquatic Centre (GESAC) is under construction in Bailey Reserve. The Centre is scheduled to open in late 2011.
A central car park serves the softball, soccer and cricket/football grounds, skate facility, Scouts etc as well as GESAC.
The car park provides for 277 on-site car spaces. Some of those spaces are
currently occupied by site sheds for the construction of GESAC.
On a typical day from 6am to 11pm, GESAC could host approximately 2,000 visitors, spread across the seventeen hour day. Users of the softball, soccer and cricket/football, skate facility, Scouts etc would be in addition to that…..
THE FINAL MOTION ON 19TH jULY 2011 STATED:
“That Council;
To ensure the ongoing success of the Bailey Reserve Recreation Precinct that
caters for Softball, Soccer, Cricket, dog walking, passive recreation, skate
activities and the soon to be opened Sports and Aquatic Centre, extend the
ground level car park to the East consistent with the sketch plan attached to
this report and endeavour to complete the extension before GESAC is opened”.
March 7, 2012 at 1:25 PM
I suppose it’s just a matter of time before Newton calls safety in as an issue, saying lives are at risk with the traffic exiting in to East Boundary Rd. And then put the exit to the rear of the carpark, dumping all the traffic into the resident at the rear of the Bailey reserve. I can hear Hyams and Macgee crowing safety is paramount lives are at risk, and we had to do it. I suspect this is the last time Hyams will runs in Tucker Ward. Residents have are woken up to what a traitor he has been.
March 7, 2012 at 6:46 PM
Yeah safety, anyone seen the barriers installed along Queens Avenue? All they do is force people onto a busy road! Speaking of Queens Avenue can anyone provide a date when the first stage of the palisade fencing is to be completed? Council seemed blissfully unaware when I called this afternoon.
March 7, 2012 at 11:17 PM
Newton and the MRC got C60 through. That’s all the agreement was about. Don’t waste your time on the fencing – it was never going to happen.
March 8, 2012 at 12:08 AM
The Draft Agreement dated 27-4-11 states within 1 year.
March 7, 2012 at 4:10 PM
Leave Newton and his Staff out of this . This is Feldmans doing and we all know that he had to leave the State. We can also thank Tang and Stoikas.What a pack of loosers.