There are proposals radically to re-shape the Middle Park Library … —more
We have kept in touch with Parks Victoria … —more
Thank you to all our residents and guest speakers … —more
News.com.au tell us that Realestate.com.au research ranks … —more
At this time, we see important changes that will certainly bring change to Fitzroy Street … —more
Our much visited St Kilda Pier … —more
As a follow up to out work last year on flooding …—more
Several times in the last few … —more
WSKRA is preparing a submission to the Council’s review of … —more
We’ve heard a number of complaints about … —more
You’ll see on our WSKRA website that … —more
There are proposals radically to re-shape the Middle Park Library.
It’s proposed to “re-fit” the library “as a collaborative working space that will help to foster creativity and support entrepreneurship in the local community.” The re-fitted library is spoken of as a “learning resource”, a space for “promoting creativity within the community” and one where people will be able “to share videos, participate in workshops and work on collaborative projects”.
Also underpinning the proposals are what is said to have been sustained declining use of the Middle Park Library for hard-copy transactions despite physical improvements to the premises.
On 15 November 2017, Council decided to have a brief pubic consultation period [17 November – 17 December].
In launching the public consultation, CoPP made no reference whatever to a couple of features of the proposals affecting West St Kilda residents:
– It is proposed to remove all books from the library;
– Also, it is proposed to discontinue the services for collecting and dropping off books at Middle Park.
Moreover, during the public consultation period [25 November], the Mayor was reported by The Age to have said:
– Opposition to the proposals was “one person in particular that’s whipping up a frenzy and letterbox dropping and things like that.”
– It was unlikely that the proposals would be abandoned, regardless of whatever the responses might be during the community consultation!
Now there is it be a public meeting on the proposals:
– Tuesday 13 February
– 6.00 – 8.30 pm
– Middle Park Library
The meeting will be in the upstairs meeting room where space is limited. CoPP asks that those intending to go to RSVP. You can do so at
http://haveyoursay.portphillip.vic.gov.au/middle-park-library
We have kept in touch with Parks Victoria on their work to develop a 10-year master plan for Albert Park. The draft Master Plan for Albert Park is now available for comment on the Albert Park Master Plan website.
On the website you will find an online version of the plan, online survey questions, the full plan and a summary brochure that can be downloaded.
Thank you to all our residents and guest speakers for your contribution to an informative and interesting AGM 2017 at the West Beach Pavilion. The number of residents there was testament to their interest in the subject – the Future of Fitzroy Street – and without exception our residents were enthusiastic and appreciative.
From our Association’s point of view, we hope that it has opened some doors for locals to make a contribution to improvements in Fitzroy Street in the months and years ahead. The WSKRA committee will keep in touch where it’s appropriate and inform our members of developments. We will certainly be looking to put together an update for our newsletter in May-June 2018.
Our meeting moderator and panel of speakers are pictured at the top of the page; from left to right Michelle Nicol, Paul Madden, Martin Foley, Roger Wyndham, Bernadene Voss, Stephen Barrow and Julian Cress.
News.com.au tell us that Realestate.com.au research ranked Australian capital city suburbs by their access to schools, work opportunities and other factors, revealing all the top 10 suburbs were in Victoria and Queensland.
The nation’s “most liveable” suburb was Melbourne’s St Kilda West, followed by South Brisbane and Dutton Park in Brisbane. Other notable inclusions were Albert Park coming in at number 7 and Port Melbourne at number 9.
WSKRA has been represented on the Fitzroy Street Vibrant Villages Partnership Group, a voluntary community group sponsored by the City of Port Phillip to look at opportunities to revitalise the street. At this time, we see important changes that will certainly bring change to Fitzroy Street:
We are honoured to have our local member of Victorian parliament to introduce a discussion of the future of the street at this year’s AGM. Panel members (see your October newsletter) will briefly outline their roles and current activities, then respond to questions. It promises to be a most informative evening, with opportunity for us to have our say on what’s happening and perhaps to influence the outcomes.
Our much visited St Kilda Pier, built in its current form in the 1970s, is approaching the end of its 50-year design life. Parks Victoria has been asked by the state government to develop a design for a new pier. Based on a concept developed in 2007/8 for the St Kilda Harbour Master Plan, two preliminary design options have been put forward for community comment.
One option heads straight out from the shore, immediately south of the existing pier, connecting to the existing deck area south of the kiosk. The other curves from the land to arrive on top of the breakwater. Both designs include a terraced area on the sheltered side of the southern part of the breakwater; in the second design, there would be clear view of the city from this area.
Have your say on these proposals by completing the survey, before 20 October, at https://engage.vic.gov.au/new-st-kilda-pier .
Parks Victoria will submit a final design by the end of the year (2017).
As a follow up to out work last year on flooding in our streets, we have been asked by Melbourne Water to provide further details of past experiences. We have written to residents in the area most affected. If that didn’t include you and you can five us any relevant information please email or mail as soon as possible.
WSKRA is preparing a submission to the Council’s review of policies governing the management of events in the City of Port Phillip. We would welcome any comments from residents by email, mail or phone on local events – their value, impact, frequency and management (e.g. notice to residents, road closures, clean-up). If you have time, you might like to review the current key documents – Outdoor Events Policy and Events Strategy.
We’ve heard a number of complaints about the management of buses on Canterbury Road during this year’s Grand Prix, an issue arising particularly as Canterbury Road was not closed off as part of the Local Access Zone on the weekend as it has been in the past. We will write to Public Transport Victoria and the Grand Prix Corporation to raise the matter. Let us know if you noticed any such problems.
You’ll see on our WSKRA website that we’ve set up a page Stories from the Past. There’s not much there at this stage. It’s a project we want to embark on later this year, a project not yet defined in scope or methodology. It may finish up as a booklet as well as a website page. If you have any interesting anecdotes about or photos of the suburb, from your own time here of from your knowledge of the past, drop us an email and help to get this work started.
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