Tunnel, Tollroads … Action

Community affected

What does a community do when construction vehicles, tollroads and trucks are bearing down?  It takes action.

Julia Cusack is a resident in Brisbane St, Ascot Vale.  She is horrified by the impact of the Ormond Rd off-ramp. With neighbours, she has letter-boxed her street and organised a community meeting to be held Monday 25 November at 7:30pm at the Ascot Vale Uniting Church, Maribyrnong Rd, Ascot Vale  (tonight).

She wants to make sure people know about the $8 billion proposal and the impact it will have on Flemington, Travancore, Ascot Vale and Moonee Ponds.

Tom Stafford lives near the Moonee Valley Racecourse.  Homes in Pattison St nearby will be acquired for the project.  A draft LMA map slated his home for potential impact or acquisition.  A letter he received from LMA told him his house was not going to be acquired “based on the current reference design”.  He is wary of future plans given the draft map identifies his and other homes.

Draft map highlighting Tom’s home.

John Hassell is involved in the Essendon Community Gardens.  The gardeners know that a ramp adjacent to their vegie patches will cast shadows and change the outlook and ambiance of the community oasis.  He has organised for the LMA to visit the gardens at their working bee on Sunday 1 December.

Jennie and Ros from the Flemington Association are working with many other residents, and President Les, to compose a substantial submission to the CIS – due December 12.

Community sporting associations are pooling resources to highlight the impact of the loss of Ross Straw Field and a new tollroad adjacent to the Essendon Hockey Club.

Even Moonee Valley City Council has vowed to argue for money to be spent on building the Metro Rail project ahead of the East West Link.  At an information session held last week, the Council highlighted the impacts on open space and traffic movements within the municipality.

Debney’s Park playground will be destroyed

Alex Swain at Flemington Primary School has brought the project to the attention of parents and encouraged them to make submissions before December 12.

Christine from Manningham Street, Parkville, rang ABC radio and asked LMA CEO Ken Mathers if he would like to live in her street during five years of construction and future years surrounded by three tollroads.

The cynical accusation of NIMBYism (not-in-my-back-yard) does not stop these, and many other residents, from reaching for their phones, email and placards.

They know that once the tollroad is approved by the Planning Minister, open space, playgrounds and their current ‘paradise’ will be paved – as the song goes – for a parking lot.

Brian Lancaster at Moonee Valley City Council said the Council would tally the financial and social costs of the project.  He said the Council has engaged lawyers to assist with its submission and the panel hearings.

“Where do we get open space from in the future?”, he said.