Proposals for Western Park

Welcome to the New Year. We hope you had a good break and we look forward to continuing with activities.

The New Year’s Eve activities and celebrations including the fireworks were a great success and took place with minimum trouble, aided by adequate police and security presence. The DCA’s Christmas Party at the Harbour Kitchen on December 7 was a great success, aided by fine weather.

Our first event for the year was a presentation to the DCA on February 1 by the Melbourne Football Club detailing their proposal for usage of the area known as Western Park which abuts the Bolte Bridge at the end of Docklands Drive.

The MFC, in conjunction with Victorian Netball, propose to develop the area with a training oval, indoor courts and facilities. The proposal includes availability for community use.

Their proposal is of course only one option for use of the area. VicUrban has advertised three options on its website comprising, firstly a peaceful park, secondly a recreation area including outdoor courts and a playground, and thirdly a formal sports complex such as proposed by the MFC. The DCA will convey members’ option preference to VicUrban in due course.

We will continue to press the City of Melbourne to notify and consult with us in advance with respect to proposed promotional and sporting events so that we can ensure that residential interests are catered for. Problems don’t often arise but we need that involvement.

We have been pressing the council on this for many months without getting any definitive response. We have pointed out that the amenity of the rapidly growing residential population of Docklands can no longer be treated as secondary to development and commercial interests.

The new residential developments in NewQuay and NewQuay West are propelling the population in that precinct alone to some 2500 in the near future. Developments in Victoria Harbour and other parts are causing similar growth.

As previously mentioned, we are also requesting that there be greater consultation and provision of information by VicUrban and developers to affected residents on specific building projects.

This is so adjoining residents can know in advance things like size of the building, traffic effects, parking effects and time frame. Until now residents have been “kept in the dark” on specifics until the last minute and then given minimal information. Greater respect needs to be shown to the effect on residents.

We have been given a gratifying break from the works on the Esplanade over the holidays but obviously there’s more to come. It looks awfully barren at present and the sooner the replacement trees are planted the better. Concerns with vehicle traffic flow or lack of it are increasing not just due to the redevelopment but to the general layout and grid. With continuing development and lack of space, the congestion increases. The DCA will play its part in pushing for review.

On the community activities front, we will continue to keep members regularly informed of activities and events organised by various groups.  The Boat Show is coming up in February.

If any reader wishes to become a member of the DCA or has any suggestions they wish to put forward with respect to activities or issues to take up on their behalf they are welcome to do so by contacting us on [email protected]

If you would like to talk to me about any aspect, you are welcome to call me on 0412 097 706.

You can keep up with things on our website http://www.docklandscommunityassociation.com

Best wishes for 2011

Sincerely

Roger Gardner

President DCA