Council would like residents to believe that ‘safety’ is top of the priority list when it comes to all manner of things. The photos below of Queen’s Avenue reveal a different story:
- the failure of council and the MRC to provide a safe environment via regular pruning of branches
- bike riders who have to veer into the path of cars in order to avoid these branches.
- joggers who would have to veer onto the road because of failure to regularly prune back trees and shrubbery
- It’s quite bizarre that there’s an entry to the Racecourse precinct from Queens Av but you can’t get there safely on foot.
Glen Eira Debates 
August 5, 2012 at 10:58 PM
Newton and Burke’s pig headedness knows no bounds. They’d even jeopardise people’s lives rather than agree to something that Penhalluriack has suggested. Here’s the perfect example of this insanity. Queen’s Avenue is a footpath that’s been left to go to rack and ruin by both council and the mrc. People have every right to jog, run, walk, or do whatever they want on this footpath. Putting in stupid barriers that force people onto the road is dangerous and irresponsible. Money is of course no object to Newton when it comes to fighting Penhalluriack. Instead of cutting back the trees and foliage let’s put in some stupid barriers that cost plenty more rather than accepting that Penhalluriack and residents want to use this path as is their right. If council wanted that it shouldn’t be used at all then they had to announce a road closure and advertise this. Tricky dicky again – forget the law and just do as you please.
I’m sick to death of how hundreds of thousands of our money is being wasted on personal vendettas by a pathetic group of councillors and an equally pathetic and self serving administration. Vote all these bastards out and then sack Newton and Burke. They should have been goten rid of years and years ago.
August 6, 2012 at 1:24 PM
Who built and paid for the red fence barriers pictured here on Queens Ave – was it Council or the MRC?
I made it my business to go and have a look at them, but cannot see why on earth they are there in the first place. Surely it would be been more cost effective and safer for all to clean up and prune the pathway a couple of times a year than the expense of constructing fences.
August 6, 2012 at 2:03 PM
We point readers to an earlier post on this issue – https://gleneira.wordpress.com/2011/12/10/the-wisdom-of-solomon-or-cow-towing-to-the-mrc/
Council paid for these fences!
August 6, 2012 at 4:18 PM
Interesting to see the photo from the earlier post of Queens Ave. How much neater the area looked back then. You can even see the path. What has happened now is a disgrace. Bullyimg not only Frank but his supporter base in the area around the racecourse. And to think this has all happened SINCE Pilling, Hyams, Lipshutz and Esakoff signed off on improvements to the landscaping along Queens Avenue in the 27 April 2011 Council meeting. Bring on VCAT!!
August 6, 2012 at 8:07 PM
Another anti-Frank article in the Age today by Jason Dowling. Obviously he is being fed lies by Burke. Wait until the election when Penhalluriack extends his already record vote. There will be a lot of embarrassed faces in the media and Council and a lot less dead weight bureaucrats.
August 6, 2012 at 4:38 AM
I live in a unit opposite the barriers. About a month after they were erected, I heard a screetch of brakes and looked out. A car turning left into Queens Avenue from Neerim Road had clipped a young Asian girl who had obviously walked on the road due to the barriers. The driver and I rendered assistance – she was more shaken emotionally than hurt. The following day I rang the Council to report the incident. The indifference was mind numbing. It’s like something out of the Stepford Wives with staff showing no emotion or interest. I felt they suspected me of wanting some compensation for the girl but all I was trying to do was report a hazard.
August 6, 2012 at 6:28 PM
I appreciate you taking the trouble to report a problem to Council that Council has responsibility for. Sometimes you have to be obstinate, as some officers attempt to talk to you out of recording a problem, stating its pointless since they’re not going to take any action. They’re probably right, they won’t do anything, but there should still be a record of the problems nevertheless, showing that Council was aware. Queens Av isn’t the only place where pedestrians have been forced onto the road, and that includes people in mobility scooters and mothers with toddlers battling pushing a stroller while cars squeeze past at speed. An unnamed officer attempted to debate me that this was acceptable.
August 6, 2012 at 7:52 AM
the best thing would have been to pave it but I spose the MRC wants to discourage residents from using the racecourse. Seeing as we are getting the facilites in the middle of the racecourse it is a bit unfair Queens Avenue residents are going to have to climb under about 20 sets of fences to get to the middle. Is there any chance we could convince them to put gaps in the rails. I find it funny that as part of the facilities they have a model aeroplane area is this to piss off the residents with the noise?
August 6, 2012 at 11:52 AM
I like the bike path along the railway line between Murrumbeena station and Hughesdale station. Why couldn’t that be along that area? It is quite a wide naturestrip and pedestrians and cylists can mix, especially with all the students around the University. I am guessing no Councillor or Newton and Burke live near Queens Avenue for this to happen.
August 6, 2012 at 9:44 AM
As part of a group, I have spent the last six years riding a bike in the early morning around the racecourse. The last year has become a big problem as it is still quite dark at 6am and the vegetation has crept out onto the road. There used to be some large trees along there that at least stopped the smaller vegetation but these were removed and since then maintenance of shrubs has been almost non-existant. Surely it wouldn’t take much to remove the vegetation?
August 6, 2012 at 11:48 AM
Wasn’t this part of the racecourse agreement between the MRC and Councillors Lipshutz, esakoff, Hyams and Pilling, brokered by Southwick? What has happened? I had thought it was to be completed by April 2012 but here we are in August with obviously nothing happening.
August 6, 2012 at 9:35 PM
The agreement was only signed so C60 could be approved. There is no way the MRC is ever going to build facilities for the community on the racecourse. Lipshutz, Pilling, Hyams and Esakoff got sucked in but Penhalluriack knew what they were up to but nobody listened. what a pathetic Council we have at present.
August 7, 2012 at 8:12 AM
The agreement was signed so the new car park in the centre of the track could be constucted. A few seats and a barbeque are added to keep people happy. With no car park there will be no races. Have no doubt that the carpark will be inplace before any building takes place on the land that the MRC currently uses as a carpark on races days. I suggest it will all happen after the Spring races.
August 7, 2012 at 5:04 PM
After Spring races means after the Council election. Doubt the signatories to the agreement, Councillors Pilling, Esakoff, Lipshutz and Hyams will be happy about that. You can try and blame a local resident but the fact is, communication has been abysmal. A few seats and a BBQ should only take a week at most to build.
August 7, 2012 at 6:24 PM
Construction is taking place, albeit slowly. The concrete path around the dam for example is about 1/2 poured, with steel reinforcing in place for another segment. The new car park has its concrete borders but isn’t sealed. A concrete pad for the toilet block has been poured. While Mayor Hyams did want all delays to be attributed to one lady, reality is that only some of the works were subject to a planning permit. There’s also a need to obtain Trustee approval (who only meet once a year?) and land manager (DSE) approval. Its still not clear what really did require a planning permit, and it ultimately may have depended on whether motorised vehicles were intended to drive over some of the paths. Regardless of planning permits, the MRC continues to lock several gates between the hours of 2pm and 4:30pm so the access is not as stated in the Agreement. Its a weird situation having Neerim Rd access gate locked while the taboo Queens Av gate is open. Since Council refuses to maintain its vegetation, the speed limit along Queens Av should at least be lowered to 40kmh. I wasn’t too impressed today when I saw what appeared to be an MRC member (given the salubrious nature of their car) belt out of the members carpark at speed causing pedestrians to jump out of the way.
August 7, 2012 at 8:36 PM
Under the agreement, the fence on the corner of Neerim Rd and Queens Avenue was to be removed and replaced with palisade fencing. This did not require a permit yet has not even commenced. When approving C60, Councillor Pilling spoke of grand vistas to the racecourse. He should hope these vistas are evident soon, especially if he wants to help the Greens have multiple members of Council.
August 6, 2012 at 12:13 PM
Apart from the 17 May 2011 fiasco when Cr Penllauriack was gagged, I see there was a request for a report about the western side of Queens Av on 9 Aug 2011, which finally surfaced some months later on 2 Nov 2011 under the name of Peter Waite. The current overgrown state of the vegetation appears to be by intention, as part of a general strategy to “encourage” pedestrians to stay away from the racecourse precinct and walk on the roadway. Moved/seconded by Lipschutz and Hyams.
In hindsight the report is an unfunny joke. You don’t encourage people by making things less convenient or reducing their amenity or artificially increasing risk. The vegetation will need to be maintained regardless of pedestrians, who a majority of Council (apparently the vote wasn’t unanimous) didn’t place a high priority on. There’s still a need to keep the vegetation away from the new bike lane. Most of the arguments used, other than cost, sounded like Council was desperate to defer a decision until the MRC was ready, whichever decade that might be.
Even the reference to Victoria Police was dodgy. “Safety” goes up apparently if fewer people are in the area, or if the vegetation is not maintained, or if people are forced onto the roadway. Oh and there’s a risk of tripping—as if people don’t trip over unmaintained concrete footpaths in front of resident’s houses. [And lets not forget Council condones developers ripping up a footpath, replacing it with muddy sludge, for indefinite duration.] Do other parts of Victoria Police support pushing pedestrians onto the roadway? What about people emerging from the racecourse via the Queens Av gate—is the expectation that they should run the gauntlet of the traffic? The report doesn’t mention the gate at all.
Is the park bench part of the new $1.8m recreational facility that the MRC is lavishing upon us? I look forward to a photo op with Mayor Hyams and David Southwick MP posed next to it.
August 6, 2012 at 4:42 PM
To refresh readers’ memories, here’s the resolution that was passed at the Ordinary Council Meeting of November 2nd 2011.
Recommendation
That Council:
a. Proceed with works to encourage pedestrians to use the footpath on the east side of Queens Avenue at a cost about $15,000
b. As per the Agreement already adopted, consult with residents and the MRC
next year on
The extent to which palisade fencing should extend along Queens
Avenue
Significant vegetation to be retained
Preliminary planting scheme with preference given to native /
indigenous plantings
If necessary, options for staged implementations
A concept plan (including topographical survey) at an estimated cost of
about $40,000.
Crs Lipshutz/Hyams
That the recommendation in the report be adopted.
The MOTION was put and CARRIED.
As far as we know:
1. No consultation has taken place
2. No ‘topographical survey’ has reared its ugly head, nor is there any mention of this in the budget
3. fencing has not been touched
4. ‘plantings’ are nothing more than a euphemism
Please note the movers of this motion – Lipshutz and Hyams!
It should also make for good reading to go back and revisit the officers report and the total failure of logic when it comes to notions of “safety”. Council are/were prepared to spend $55,000 instead of a fraction of this cost to regularly prune and keep the vegetation in some order! We congratulate council (again) on the wise expenditure of public funds!
August 6, 2012 at 4:57 PM
GlenEira, I suggest you read the minutes from Council meeting 27 April 2011, approved by Councillors Pilling, Hyams, Lipshutz and Esakoff along with the MRC and brokered by David Southwick which shows a nice colour map of where the landscaping and fence improvements are to be completed and where they are not. Then maybe you could explain it back to me because I am a simple person but it seems very straightforward.
August 6, 2012 at 5:05 PM
Ah Anon! – ye of so little faith! Surely the masters of the realm are on top of all this and they draw up “agreements” that are always worth the paper they’re written on? After all, there are three lawyers on board as councillors no less, and an entire entourage of hired “external legal advice” that are just waiting to be called upon – not to mention the bevy of internal lawyers! Just because there has been absolute silence practically on the entire issue for over a year is no reason to be disgruntled, disappointed, nor to start questioning anyone – now is there?
August 6, 2012 at 6:45 PM
Just came back from driving along Queens Avenue. What a disgrace the overgrown vegetation along the racecourse has become. I look after my lawn and even sweep the footpath and pay full rates (like most contributors on this website). The MRC just made $1billion tax free from their development, pay highly subsidized rates and couldn’t be stuffed maintaining around “their” racecourse. Fair suck of the sauce bottle.
August 6, 2012 at 7:05 PM
From 2009. Is it believable?
“Cr Jamie Hyams has summarized yesterday’s excellent news from the Victorian Parliament as follows:
-I understand that among the concessions given by Gavin Jennings are that the land is to be valued and any difference between the value of the two pieces of land is to go to the Crown, and that the land swap will not occur until the MRC has fulfilled its commitments in relation to the centre of the racecourse and signposting to better inform the public of the land’s availability. Further, according to Sue Pennicuik’s interpretation of Jenning’s remarks, the MRC will have to pay commercial rent for the areas it uses for training, and that rent is, according to Jennings, to ‘be available for the ongoing maintenance and development of the park or other Crown public land within the Glen Eira area.’ He also flagged that he could see Council being the manager of the land in the middle of the racecourse that is to be a public park.”
An update from Council would be welcome.
August 6, 2012 at 7:11 PM
I know this is not related to the topic but I recall seeing past Councillors walking the streets and understanding where services were lacking. Two that I recall seeing were Councillors Whiteside and Grossbard. You will never see a Hyams or a Lipshutz walk the streets. They wouldn’t even know where Queens Ave was, even though it is in Councillor Lipshutz ward. Hopefully the new Councillors in October can change all this- Management by Walking Around is as important in Council as it is in life.
August 6, 2012 at 7:26 PM
Walking the streets is fine. Lobo sets up a little table in Centre Rd and then pretends to listen to people. Walking is only half of the job. Next comes the hard bit – doing something about the problems you see. That takes guts and the will and ability to tell Newton to stick his head in and do as hes told by councillors. That’s what good councillors should do. Not just walk around and be seen and then pretend that they give a stuff about what people want when it’s not 2 months to an election. If Hyams dares knock on my door again I’ll slam it in his face. That’s as much attention he deserves.
August 6, 2012 at 7:06 PM
Earth to the gang! Start packin’ ya bags!
August 6, 2012 at 7:24 PM
Andrew Newton and Jamie Hyams are the Matthew Primus and Brett Duncanson of Glen Eira. Hopefully Hyams falls on his sword and maintains some dignity, like Duncanson did at Port Adelaide.
August 6, 2012 at 8:21 PM
The most priceless photo from this set has to be the parking sign. It is so in keeping with the incompetence of Glen Eira City Council that it should be their motto or slogan. Apart from being totally hidden by foliage, thus defeating its very purpose, it is also blank. Newton should be congratulated for the quality of his workers and the continual wastage of public money. I include his salary in this last sentence.
August 6, 2012 at 10:55 PM
Now we should all be very happy with the new sign at the Glen eira Road roundabout which points to the CAULFIELD RACECOURSE CAR PARK, THE OPEN DOUBLE GATES FOR OUR ENTRY AND THE TUNNEL TO SHARE WITH THE MANY CONSTRUCTION TRUCKS AND THE SECTIONED OFF AREA IN CONSTRUCTION.
If we dare to enter at present we now use a tunnel filled with diesel carcinogens and other air sce nted by the over 1,000 horse journeys,
MAYBE WE COULD ASK THE COUNCILLORS AND THEIR STAFF TO JOIN US FOR A WALK!!!!!!111
Also it will give joy to your eyes to see a large concrete bunker built on part of the land “given to the crown land” as part of the “swap” and nothing but concrete everywhere and fence s in what could now be cqlled the pip of our racecourse reserve. tHE Glen EIRA DEBATES COULD RUN A COMPETITION TO THE FIRST PERSON TO ACCURATELY MEASURE HOW MANY KILOMETRES OF FENCES HAVE BEEN ERECTED IN THE NEW MAZE. Then of course it is hoped you enjoyed the wire fenced ‘NEW PARK’ at the start of the jjaunt.
aLSO ONE FINDS THE DIRECT VIEW OF THE STABLES NOW MANY TREES IN NEERIM ROAD HAVE BEEN REMOVED quite revolting.
Did MRC ask council if trees on public property could be removed??????
August 6, 2012 at 11:02 PM
Apologies for this off-topic comment, but we thought readers would like to see another example of the approaches adopted by councils other than Glen Eira. Stonnington for example doesn’t just rely on the State run Community Satisfaction Survey, but has its own database of over 500 residents that it can consult regularly (and cheaply with). Booroondara is now joing the gang with the following initiative –
Democracy – issues, influence and outrage
You’re invited to be part of the 2012 Boroondara Conversations event themed Democracy – issues, influence and outrage.
Participants will walk away with:
a sense of confidence that there is room for public participation in a representative democracy.
a sense of being heard about your vision for the future and your expectations about how you will be engaged.
a full briefing and a personal invitation to join – the new online Boroondara Community Voice Panel.
When: 10am to 2pm, Saturday 1 September (light lunch provided)
Where: Council Chamber foyer, Inglesby Road, Camberwell.
For the forum, we are seeking 100 participants demographically representative of the Boroondara community, who are keen to help shape the future of community engagement in our City. We hope it will spark a longer-term Boroondara Community Voice Panel of up to 2000 local residents which is being launched on this day.
We hope to have participants reflect the diversity of the Boroondara community across all ages and interests. We know that many of you belong to one or more community groups so to be fair we will try to minimise duplication of these groups.
Sign up now to register your interest in attending. Places for each age range are limited so don’t miss out.
We aim to make this event accessible and inclusive to all of the community. If you would like to attend this event and have specific access, communication or dietary needs please contact Belinda Lowing on 9278 4956 or Carolyn Hawkins on 9278 4892 before 20 August 2012 and we will do our best to accommodate you.
We’ll confirm your place at the table within 5 days of you registering your interest. If you miss out on a seat you will be able to join the conversation through Twitter via #cobconvo. You will also be able to view the highlights online just as soon it can be produced.
If we are oversubscribed we may host a follow up conversation.
Mayor of Boroondara Cr Heinz Kreutz will lead the discussion on the day along with other speakers passionate about local democracy.
Registrations close Monday 20 August.
http://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/boroondara-conversation
In Glen Eira we believe that the words “democracy” and “participation” are unheard of by most councillors and certainly administrators.
August 7, 2012 at 8:35 AM
Democracy is about having a free vote for all over 18. Extending the concept to consulting and having ad hoc committees to manage the City is not part of democracy. If Councillors do not listen to the people that voted for them then they should be voted out. We shall see.
August 7, 2012 at 8:57 AM
Has anyone contacted their local MP or counciller about Queens Avenue? I think it is the biggest blight in Caulfield. It consists of weeds, weed trees and rubbish. I am wondering if the whole reason they couldnt pave the whole thing in the first place to make a bike track is because of the MRC carpark on the corner. This has no right to be there in the first place so why should the avenue look so bad. Wouldn’t Queen Victoria be turning in her grave to see her avenue looking like it does
August 7, 2012 at 9:03 AM
I like these visible eyesores around Glen Eira and hope they remain until the October elections. They certainly have everyone talking and will mean a change of Council and change in Administration.