Residents to rally to save Caulfield Park conservatory
- May 20, 2014
A PROTEST is planned at Glen Eira Council tonight by people angry about the council’s decision to demolish the Caulfield Park conservatory.
The Friends of Caulfield Park say the council have thumbed their collective noses at the community by dumping plans last month to restore and repair the ageing glasshouse because it would cost too much.
Protesters are being urged to gather 15 minutes before tonight’s meeting at the town hall.
Organisers say they want the community to “demonstrate through your presence your disgust at the hypocrisy of a council who pretend to consult us, the community, and then decide it is a bit expensive, even though they are willing to pay hundreds of thousands, or even millions of dollars on open space elsewhere’’.
Last month’s council backflip came seven months after councillors voted unanimously to restore and repair the ageing public building and replant its gardens after a survey found that was what the community preferred.
Friends president David Wilde said councillors had let the community down and labelled the decision an “act of destruction’’.
“The community’s least preferred option was demolition but, for comparatively modest cost reasons, this is what the council has opted to do,’’ Mr Wilde said.
“The conservatory is an historic artefact, purchased from Rippon Lea in 1949, but allowed to fall into disrepair over many years.’’
The council received eight tenders to restore the conservatory; their average was almost double the budget to do the work; and Mayor Neil Pilling said those costs had to be weighed up.
The nearby amphitheatre will also be demolished.
Tonight’s meeting starts at 7.30pm, at the town hall on Hawthorn Rd
Glen Eira Debates 
May 20, 2014 at 1:26 PM
Was the vote to demolish unanimous?
May 20, 2014 at 6:33 PM
Glen Eira’s first Greens mayor Neil Pilling cuts party ties
Andrea Kellett
May 20, 2014 4:50PM
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Glen Eira mayor Neil Pilling has resigned from the Greens Party. Source: News Limited
GLEN Eira’s first ever Greens councillor and mayor has resigned from The Greens Party.
Mayor Neil Pilling said he was simply wearing “too many hats’’ and needed to focus on the Glen Eira mayoralty.
“I still firmly support the Greens’ policies, it’s just that after a long time of being heavily involved, it’s time to step down, time to recharge the batteries,’’ Cr Pilling said.
The long-time Murrumbeena resident insists he may consider joining the party again after his term as mayor ends.
He has been a member of The Greens for about eight years.
He resigned from the party last week and told his council colleagues shortly afterwards.
He is still listed on the Victorian Greens website as one of their 20 elected Victorian local councillors.
The once staunch party member — he twice challenged Andrew Robb for the Australian Greens in the Federal seat of Goldstein (2007 and 2010) — insists he still supports the party and said the decision would not impact his work as a councillor.
“I will still be raising the same issues,” he said.
Glen Eira Council now has one remaining Greens councillor — Cr Thomas Sounness.
May 20, 2014 at 6:38 PM
Yup cutting ribbons, taking orders, and reading stuff written for ya is sure hard work. Greens should be celebrating cos now they don’t haveta expel ya.
May 20, 2014 at 7:35 PM
Let’s face it, Pennicuik had been trying to get rid of Pilling ever since he went against Green policy and voted for C60. This is a huge step forward for the Greens in Glen Eira.
May 21, 2014 at 11:59 PM
Maybe the party officials heard that he had recommended that visitors to the Morton Ave Apartments could use the
RAILWAY COMPUTER PARK!