Urban Renewal Is in the Spotlight
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MARCH 2011 ISSUE 62 PRICELESS WWW.DOCKLANDSNEWS.COM.AU : Docklands_News $20,000 raised for Crunch time for fl ood victims community garden See Page 3 See Page 6 New Docklands It's cops on the docks land release See Page 9 See Page 5 Urban renewal is in the spotlight Th e Planning Minister Matthew Guy received a lot of media attention last month for his vision to redevelop 200ha of light- industrial land in Port Melbourne. Despite packaging this idea as part of the policy he took to last year’s state election, the media got very excited about the plan. Th ere is a good deal of confusion around the plan and specifi c details won’t be known until the formation of a new Urban Renewal Authority which is expected before July. Th e Urban Renewal Authority is expected to subsume VicUrban’s role as master planner of Docklands. It will also be responsible for redeveloping the 20ha E-Gate area to Docklands’ north. And while the details surrounding the Port Melbourne project are sketchy, Mr Guy has said the area in question is: Th ree times the size of Docklands; Primarily south of the Westgate Freeway; Includes only a small part of land north of the freeway near the Bolte Bridge; Will not encroach of the Port of Melbourne’s operation; and Will be developed in specifi c precincts. Th is would be primarily achieved by He is talking about a 20-30 year project and, rezoning the land. Elvis is coming to Docklands unlike the Docklands development, the area He was quick to point out that any residential is mostly occupied. redevelopment would have “corresponding services to match” in a reference to Promoters are bringing an Elvis tribute festival to Docklands Mr Guy has said he was not talking about what lessons had been learned from the relocating the heavy industry which is on the in August. Th eir intention is to build the festival into an annual Docklands experience. north side of the freeway. But, rather, it is the event and put Docklands on the international Elvis map. See our light industrial area of Port Melbourne south “It will be a residential suburb, without full story on Page 10. of the freeway which he intends to convert to corporate headquarters or a stadium,” high-density residential. Mr Guy said. WE’D LIKE YOUR HELP TO SELL ADVERTISING. We’re flexible about the “arrangement”. It depends on the candidate and how much If you are interested email time you want to spend on it. But, ideally, you should have a few days a week free to editor Shane Scanlan on devote to the paper. In a perfect world, the successful candidate would be a local [email protected] who knew their way around Docklands and shared our passion for this community. 2 DOCKLANDS NEWS ISSUE 62 What’s up Suite 108, 198 Harbour Esplanade PO Box 23008 Docklands 8012 pussy cat? Tel: 8689 7979 Fax: 9602 2929 www.docklandsnews.com.au Advertising Four-year-old Maddison Tel: 8689 7979 Fax: 9602 2929 Parker had a purrfect birthday [email protected] party at Wonderland Fun Park Reader contributions are welcome. Please send articles and images to on February 12. [email protected] Maddy’s granny Judy Fisher got into the swing Deadline for the April edition is of things and also had her face painted. March 25. Docklands News caught up with the Templestowe family after they had done their obligatory “Costco run” while they were Councillors in the area. want a review Melbourne City councillors want a review of the way they are elected. Don’t hem me in Th e electoral structure of the council is often Elsewhere in this edition (Page 11) we have Stages two and three still lie before us and criticised but, unlike other local councils a story about an adverse reaction to the VicUrban doesn’t have the cash to pay for them. which get reviewed regularly, it hasn’t been siting of a Circus Oz tent on the waterfront Editorial Readers may recall the initial plans for the looked at in 10 years. between Central Pier and NewQuay. Th is waterfront when the grand “verandah” Comment is a temporary structure but, again, it Cr Cathy Oke successfully moved that project was fi rst announced in 2008. Th e the council ask the Minister for Local Shane Scanlan demonstrates the change in thinking by plans were for a series of passive and active Government Jeanette Powell for the review. the authorities. open spaces. Th e only mention of buildings Th e council has twice recently asked for such Ten years ago the government of the day were “small street vendors”. a review but the previous State Government “liberated” Melbourne’s waterfront when it Like many other aspects of life in Docklands, had ignored the request. Docklands is in danger of demolished a row of wharf sheds and opened “consultation” was duly performed with a Ms Powell supported the idea of a review losing its open horizons and up an entirely new vista for Melbourne. promise that this would result in concrete when she was in opposition. water views because planners A press release at the time said: “Harbour plans and, ultimately, action. Cr Oke said she didn’t have a view on what seem afraid of open space. Esplanade will create an enormous open However, it appears that these days all bets might be a better system of governance, but space which will provide the key public are off . Th e project is being revisited and access to the CBD’s newest waterfront - on she felt that residents were not adequately Th e vision of our founding fathers (and it money is central to the outcome. represented under the current system. Victoria Dock.” was only 10 years ago!) appears lost on the Th e risk is that the authorities view parts of the She said she felt the system was skewed in current crop of people in charge. If we are Th ese days, it seems, “enormous open open space as a saleable commodity which favour of business representation. not careful, our water views will be blocked spaces” scare the planning fraternity. can be traded to fund the rest of the project. from Harbour Esplanade. She said a review of the entire system When questioned about their desire to Th e outcomes of decisions taken around was needed including voting systems, I was appalled to learn that the City of fi ll it in with structures, they talk about these principles will be with us for the number of councillors, possible Melbourne was seriously considering “activation” and argue that the public is generations to come. reintroduction of wards and the direct placing the long-overdue Docklands library uncomfortable unless they are within range My fear is that unless Docklanders stand up on the waterfront between the NAB building of some type of built form. election of the Lord Mayor. and oppose it, the authorities may well “sell and Central Pier. “I’m not entirely convinced about the direct But the argument is also about money. Th e off the farm” to fund the development. election of the Lord Mayor. At election time As it turns out, timing and costs make this redevelopment of Harbour Esplanade is all the attention is on the lord mayoralty and site unviable. But the fact that they even being conducted in three stages. We are still councillors seem to escape scrutiny, and yet looked at this site for a substantial building enduring the pain of the fi rst stage (and will we all have the same voting weight,” should set alarm bells ringing for concerned be until mid-year), but this is the only stage Cr Oke said. Docklanders. which is fully funded. Spanish tapas bar cafe / restaurant Outside gate 9 behind the giant wine glass: concourse ETIHAD STADIUM BOOKINGS: 9642 1882 now www.docked.com.au open Enjoy the view! ISSUE 62 DOCKLANDS NEWS 3 $20,000 raised for fl ood victims Docklands hit the dance fl oor on February 24 and, in the process, raised more than $20,000 for Queensland and Victorian fl ood victims. More than 200 people attended a fundraising evening at Watermark in Victoria Harbour and were well entertained by Bobby Valentine’s Very Tall Show and Switch Music and friends. Harbour Town Shopping Centre sponsored the night with a $5000 donation, while the musicians and venue staff all worked for free. Money collected from entry tickets, donation and charity auctions amounted to more than $20,000 which will be shared between the Queensland Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal (75 per cent) and the Red Cross Victorian Flood Appeal (25 per cent). Th e event was organised by Docklands News in response to January’s devastating fl oods. Editor Shane Scanlan said he was pleased with the result. “It was great to be able to provide an opportunity for Docklanders to respond to the disasters.” “And these events also help to build community spirit, so that was a good outcome too.” Docklanders rock out at the fl ood relief fundraiser on February 24. Mr Scanlan thanked Harbour Town, “We have to chase a few people who left Docklands News staff , the musicians, Natasha before collecting their auction items or Ferre who was MC for the evening, Cheryle paying for them,” he said. “But we should Street for auctioning donated items, JC Street know the total very soon.” staff , Tanja Karavesov and all the donors. In a separate fundraising eff ort, Melbourne “But I reserve two huge thank yous – one Ice, the Harbour Town Hotel and the for Tanina Osborne who organised the Medibank Icehouse raised $3445 through a entertainment, and one for John Ahern and “Pucks for Buck” charity exhibition match at his team at Watermark,” Mr Scanlan said.