Council is about to embark on a revamped Open Space Strategy. That’s great but, we have to wonder whether this will simply be another exercise in spin judging by the actions that have failed to be implemented from the 1998 strategy. Below are some extracts from this 1998 version. Please consider how many of the following objectives/statements/promises have been translated into concrete actions and how many that were mooted 15 years ago are still to be realised!
Where open space contributions are required for multi-unit developments, Council impose the maximum monetary open space contribution about of 5% wherever possible.
A 50% split between acquisition and improvement is suggested.
Constantly review opportunities to expand open space, particularly where sites may become available adjacent to existing parks in the precinct and allow opportunities to increase the size of these parks.
Retain a Public Acquisition Overlay to no 53 Magnolia Road, Gardenvale to complete the concept plan for Gardenvale Park (shown in the City of Caulfield Local Parks Strategy, 1987) and purchase the property when it becomes available, subject to current budget priorities
Changing recreation trends and an aging population indicate that informal open space is an increasingly important component of Glen Eira’s open space system
There is community support to get involved in the planning development and management of open space
Encourage government authorities ie schools to make their open space available for community use (especially where there are identified open space deficiencies) and investigate opportunities to provide additional open space if school sites are redeveloped
There is a community perception that there is a lack of unstructured open space in Glen Eira and changing recreation trends and an ageing population indicate that informal open space will be an increasingly important component of Glen Eira’s open space system.
The general community ‘feeling ‘ is that there is adequate provision of active open space that that future strategies should focus on ensuring a balance between active and informal recreational pursuits
Some sports require additional expanded facilties but generally the provision of improved maintenance and/or upgrades to existing facilities would satisfy current and future sporting demands
Concern for traffic management within and around various parks to ensure safety for users of open space.
Investigate opportunities to expand existing open space in the Gardenvale neighbourhood of the West precinct
Increase outdoor events in Glen Eira’s open space system, ie jazz festivals, open-air movies, art/sculpture displays of local artists work, flora and fauna displays
Organise community events in Caulfield Park to coincide with and complement the Spring Racing Carnival
Capitalise on the amphitheatre in Caulfield Park for a wide range of outdoor community events
Through the statutory planning permit process support and encourage the provision of open style fencing for new residential development that directly abuts open space
Review the provision of buildings in open spaces, including the provision of scout halls and other affiliated groups, and determine their possible rationalisation/reduction as part of the process of preparing park Masterplans.
Encourage and generate ‘friends”/community groups and school children to be involved in the development and on-going maintenance of parks.
Ensure that existing informal open space is not encroached on, inhibited or placed with any further restrictions, unless some form of compensation is negotiated ie land swaps
Design playgrounds to include fences, paths, seats, shade trees/shelter to provide comfort for parents supervising children
Build on the educational programs run by Council’s Park Services unit and develop an education centre in Caulfield Park to complement the native bushland reserve and bird aviary where education programs can be run with interactive facilities provided for community members to learn about Glen Eira’s natural heritage
Work closely with the Glen Eira Environment Group and the Society for Growing Australian Plants and utilise their knowledge and expertise to continue to enhance and maintain environmental open space in the city.
Negotiate with the National Trust to allow some form o community access into the gardens of Rippon Lea ie residents could be issued with a ticket to allow them 10 free passes per year into Rippon Lea
80% of open space system functions as outdoor sports/local parks combined
Develop a Masterplan for Elsternwick Plaza keeping in mind this park potentially forms an important recreational element to the Elsternwick urban village concept. The Masterplan should open the park up to invite pedestrian activity and integrate with Glen Huntly road
Work with the Society for Growing Australian plants to develop the original route of the old Elster Creek trail into a native vegetation corridor/nature walk with interpretative signage and encourage private property owners along the route to plant appropriate native vegetation to increase havitat potential.
A dominant portion of open space in each precinct is restricted at certain periods by sports activities, with the North-East and South-East precincts having the larger proportions of their open spaces used for organised sports at certain periods.
The dominant landscape setting in all precincts is sporting which ranges between 55% in the South-West to 88% in the South East
Glen Eira Debates 
January 6, 2013 at 6:06 PM
An impressive list of under-achievement. Most open space levies go on maintenance of parks rather than acquisition and so much for the 50/50 objective of spending the money. There’s no 5% levy and no concern about safety when car parks are built smack in the centre of parkland. Could someone please tell me why all this money is spent on policies that don’t mean a thing?
January 6, 2013 at 6:55 PM
What the hell have these bozos been doing since about 2003 for Esakoff and Hyams and 2005 for Lipshutz and Tang. Elsternwick Plaza, school grounds, Rippon Lea and stacks of other things have been on the agenda since 1998. Nothing but nothing has happened – except that they again make headlines in the Leader or some stupid request for a report is up and running and this gives Newton the chance to pooh pooh it and do bugger all. Thanks a lot for your uselessness councillors.
January 6, 2013 at 6:57 PM
Well it is the Glen Eira Open Space *Longterm* Strategy—longterm possibly meaning “not in our lifetime”. I looked at the diagram on p14 and was surprised to see a big grey bubble around Carnegie Urban Village, and then noticed the tiny black dot denoting the [now-defunct] Jersey Parade Park. Moving on to p31 under Strategies “C. Improve the attractiveness and usefulness of open space for the community”, it has the following Action for this Park: “Support the inclusion of Jersey Parade Park’s facilities within the Carnegie Urban Village concept as a recreational node for the village, including play equipment, seating and shelter/shade for people to sit, socialise and recreate”. So the Action was part-implemented. The Park was obliterated and replaced with asphalt and concrete but the replacement buildings and carparks are definitely in the Carnegie Urban Village.
January 6, 2013 at 7:41 PM
Sport dominates everything in Glen Eira. That’s because of Burke and that’s where the money goes. Passive recreation is an odd-on; grass is verboten; and trees in parks can wither and die before they’re looked after properly.
This latest review will reinforce the status quo. Anyone want to make a bet?
January 6, 2013 at 9:47 PM
Sporting grounds are also used for passive recreation. I’d guess at least 75% of the time that is the case. Way higher during the working week. It’s not one or the other, it’s both. Princes Park, Caulfield Park, Duncan MacKinnon are few obvious ones.
Throw in those that are pretty much sports free such as Allnutt, Green Meadows, Gardenvale, Halley, Hopetoun Gardens, Joyce, Memorial, Springhope et al and it’s a reasonable mix.
January 7, 2013 at 9:58 AM
Other commentators have already made the point that many of the stated objectives of the 1998 strategy have not been met. There may be very valid reasons for some of these lapses. What is not excusable is the reluctance to impose the 5% levy on land subdivisions across the municipality and the continued failure to meet the 50% spending on land acquisition. Land sales continue unabated as does the funding for so called maintenance rather than the purchasing of land. Two recent events are examples of lost opportunity to increase public open space – the sale of the Alma Club and the Neerim Rd property.
Council regularly argues that decisions are made in line with policy. That at least is the public face that is presented. If this is indeed the case then council’s decisions need to be in line with this 1998 strategy. It hasn’t been in numerous instances.
January 7, 2013 at 11:30 PM
Smart Aleck you only make deeply offensive and biting comments.About time you had the guts to stand for Council.
January 8, 2013 at 12:59 AM
less than 2 million of the miniscule amount collected for all the subdivisions in G E City. And then added to the extra thousands of feet which expect to use the already crowded parks come the new buildings,concrete and bitumen coverage for car parking and injury to those jogging on them and other car parks for school , swimming pool and university. yES THESE HAVE ALL BEEN SLICED OFF GREEN GRASSED AREAS SINCE 1998. One park has a hundred parking meters.Where does that revenue go? If all these buildings, paths roads etc etc were actually subtracted from the park areas then the answer would probably be about 665 OF OPEN SPACE AREA COMPARED TO 1998 ACTUALLY NOT PER CAPITA.