Sean S wrote:
I measured it out as 105 metres (southern boundary) x 130 metres (western boundary) up to the houses on the corner, then 27 metres x 70 metres for the remainder.

That's just under 16,000 metres square which is 1.6 hectares.

Yes it looks like you are correct Sean. If you go to a satellite map or a street map and use the scale, your estimates match up.

so, the council is suggesting that half of the sunvale site be used for housing and half for a park?

Can that be right?

half n half wrote:
so, the council is suggesting that half of the sunvale site be used for housing and half for a park?

Can that be right?

ask Nick.

maybe we can negotiate community facilties rather than social housing . facilities like a new neighbourhood hosue or youth facilities or ...... to complement open space

We definately don't want any more housing - especially social housing that will lower the value of all the houses that are nearby. There's plenty of space to build cheap houses out near Caroline Springs (aren't they opening up more land there?).

ask Nick wrote:
half n half wrote:
so, the council is suggesting that half of the sunvale site be used for housing and half for a park?

Can that be right?

ask Nick.

maybe we can negotiate community facilties rather than social housing . facilities like a new neighbourhood hosue or youth facilities or ...... to complement open space

the high needs community that is Sunshine doesnt have a decent social / community infrastructure now let alone for another big batch of high needs people livingin social housing.

Gaps have been identified in service provision eg youth, neighbourhood services, open space, playgrounds etc.

Lets use Sunvale to fill those gaps first rather than just dumping anothe batch of high needs people without adequate levels of social / community ifrastructure to service existing needs let alone new ones.

Brimbank council needs to advocate to the State and federal govrnments to stop thinking that our area is a dumping ground for cheap solutions to social problems the government' "marginal seat" decision making models are creating.

STOP DUMPING ON SUNSHINE.

If we could have a park, ALL the local properties would rise in value and a whole lot of different developers could get a slice of spending as 'urban renewal' gradually changed those properties that are willing to change or be sold. Locals would have the incentive to upgrade their homes and when people were looking for somewhere to buy, Sunshine would be high on a number of people's lists. That will add diversity more effectively than any load of refugees, or wannabe migrants doing courses here.

OF course, parks need maintenance and we all know Brimbank's track record on maintenance. Let it go to rot, and run a media event when you rebuild it.

This site should be reserved for a park, but my second best choice is a performing arts/conference/youth centre precinct provided MOST of the school site was left intact as open space for ALL locals and shoppers and those who work here. If this option were considered, I'd add the cost of an underground car park to the option!!

However, the postcard campaign would preclude any real dialogue about the site. The Council has made up its collective mind and has invested RATEPAYER money into ensuring they create a slum area just outside the Council Chambers - no wonder they want to borrow $30m to get out of the neighbourhood they just crapped on.

Second best choice wrote:
no wonder they want to borrow $30m to get out of the neighbourhood they just crapped on.

That Nick, how does he sleep at night?

who does this council work? from the sounds of it.. it's just at Nick's whim.... he must have lots of friends in high places

still.. if he makes a slum out of sunshine.. at least our rates will stay down... right?

I'm writing a letter to :
http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/handbook/searchresult.cfm?menuid=2&memberId=145

here's it is, i've copied and pasted some comments from here...

they only have 16 signatures and 5 of them have comments: http://www.gopetition.com.au/petitions/save-sunvale/signatures.html


I've started a forum there.. but i don't think anyone would see it.


I've never written to public servants and i'd appreciate feed back from you experts



************
16 ***** Street
Sunshine VIC 3020

Hon. Bronwyn Pike
Minister for Education

Ministerial Office
Level 1
2 Treasury Place
East Melbourne VIC 3002



Dear Honourable Bronwyn Pike.

RE: Sunvale School Site

My name is **********, I'm a resident of sunshine, VIC.

Leigh Harrison (GM Engineering & Operations Brimbank City Council) has informed me that the Council wrote to your department requesting that 0.8 ha of this 2 ha site be provided to the community for public open space after the school is vacated in 2010, and only suggested that the balance be utilised for social housing.

The area does need park land and would rise the local property values, locals would have the incentive to upgrade their homes and encourage development.

Sadly, the social housing portion will have the opposite and far reaching affects.
The south of the municipality areas (sunshine, St Albans) have some the lowest socio-economic levels in Melbourne.
The area will become a parking/traffic nightmares and have all the problems associated with too many people struggling with life issues located in one place.
The high needs community that is Sunshine doesn't have a decent social / community infrastructure now let alone for another big batch of high needs people.

I ask that, when negotiating with the Brimbank City Council, that your department take the above into account and even suggest better usage of the land.
For example, gaps have been identified in service provision eg youth, neighbourhood services, cultural/arts space.
The community would like to see Sunvale used to fill those gaps first.

Look forward to your reply.
Kind Regards
********
Concerned Sunshine resident

no social housing wrote:
We definately don't want any more housing - especially social housing that will lower the value of all the houses that are nearby. There's plenty of space to build cheap houses out near Caroline Springs (aren't they opening up more land there?).

No, that's the worrst option. we don't want the urban fringe to keep sprawling. The area outside of caroline springs is supposed to be green wedge. Shame Brumby.

I believe Derrimut and Caroline Springs have already had social housing projects approved. About 40-50 houses in each suburb. Not sure if building works have already started.

DO NOT SIGN IT!!!
unless you want more social housing, then by all means sign away

Concerned Sunshine resident wrote:
write a letter instead



************
16 ***** Street
Sunshine VIC 3020

Hon. Bronwyn Pike
Minister for Education

Ministerial Office
Level 1
2 Treasury Place
East Melbourne VIC 3002



Dear Honourable Bronwyn Pike.

RE: Sunvale School Site

My name is **********, I'm a resident of sunshine, VIC.

Leigh Harrison (GM Engineering & Operations Brimbank City Council) has informed me that the Council wrote to your department requesting that 0.8 ha of this 2 ha site be provided to the community for public open space after the school is vacated in 2010, and only suggested that the balance be utilised for social housing.

The area does need park land and would rise the local property values, locals would have the incentive to upgrade their homes and encourage development.

Sadly, the social housing portion will have the opposite and far reaching affects.
The south of the municipality areas (sunshine, St Albans) have some the lowest socio-economic levels in Melbourne.
The area will become a parking/traffic nightmares and have all the problems associated with too many people struggling with life issues located in one place.
The high needs community that is Sunshine doesn't have a decent social / community infrastructure now let alone for another big batch of high needs people.

I ask that, when negotiating with the Brimbank City Council, that your department take the above into account and even suggest better usage of the land.
For example, gaps have been identified in service provision eg youth, neighbourhood services, cultural/arts space.
The community would like to see Sunvale used to fill those gaps first.

Look forward to your reply.
Kind Regards
********
Concerned Sunshine resident

the petition is therefore misleading. it only mentions a fight for open space, not the fact that council is only fighting for a portion of the land to be open space, the rest to be public housing....very sneaky indeed

after listening to the podcast... it seems this was planned for some time.... in relation to the parcel of land sold off years ago.. and now selling of the school and the council office.

So, why would labor keep sunshine poor?
well normal people vote both labor/liberal
Poorer people only vote labor as it's were their jobs are!!!!

So why more social housing??
well.... more social housing... well more labor votes rights?

add to this.. the new civic centre... and the massive debt it will bring.. well don't expect sunshine to become a nice suburb anytime soon

does this sound right to anybody?

http://www.theage.com.au/national/suburbs-to-squeeze-in-more-houses-20090813-ejuw.html

MELBOURNE'S council areas will have to accommodate thousands of new homes following a State Government-commissioned assessment of their ability to house the city's surging population.

The tender documents detailing the new assessments show the Government has already conducted "pilot work" in Bayside, Brimbank, Moreland, Manningham, Boroondara and Darebin.

All good Labor party areas and good sites for future slums.

Cheap housing on the way wrote:
http://www.theage.com.au/national/suburbs-to-squeeze-in-more-houses-20090813-ejuw.html

MELBOURNE'S council areas will have to accommodate thousands of new homes following a State Government-commissioned assessment of their ability to house the city's surging population.

The tender documents detailing the new assessments show the Government has already conducted "pilot work" in Bayside, Brimbank, Moreland, Manningham, Boroondara and Darebin.

All good Labor party areas and good sites for future slums.

And all good places to dump all the social problems rather than mess up the leafy middle class 'burbs.

The Brumby Government's Social Development Committee of Cabinet has a lot to answer for in the western suburbs as the gaps between the haves and have nots widen every year.

Who are these faceless politicians? They need to be made publicly accountable. What are they doing for those Victorians most in need? Do they think turning Sunvale over to social housing is a great idea too? Without sufficient social infrastructure in the high needs area to start with?

Marginal seat syndrome where money is shelled out on new projects at each election - local, state, federal - has seen the downward social spiral of high need areas like Sunshine and many other parts of Brimbank.

Understand a new report from a number of well credentialled academic sources is on the way that shows the importance of public open space in creating healthy liveable communities. Due for release in the next month.

That should give Brimbank's Councillors something to chew on as they reconsider the wisdom of following Nick Foa's tunnel visioned advice to them to support his plan for use of Sunvale school site as mainly a new social housing site.

The plan that involves primary use of the site for social housing with a small portion set aside for public open space and broad community use.

And the plan that is not openly identified in Brimbank Council's highly unethical and misleading Postcard and Petition campaign.

And Nick wonders why no-one trusts him anymore. He just seems so blinkered and reacts to one policy issue at a time. In this case the push from federal and state governments for more social housing in existing communities.

Nick just cant seem to join the dots and understand that balanced development of a community means just that - a balance between housing density, natural environments, economic development and social infrastructure capable of meeting real social needs.

The Sunvale case study shows just how wrong his judgements have been on the balance scale.

Too much emphasis on more social housing / rates opportunities and not enough emphasis on balancing the unmet needs of people living in existing social housing with adequate social infrastructure eg open space, playgrounds, cycle paths, safe walking tracks, community halls, performing arts spaces, neighbourhood services, health services.

Nick has previously buckled to factional ALP pressures (read Ombudsman's report) and if allowed will create a new ghetto.

Our ten ALP Councillors have so far followed their masters directions from ALP Headquarters to endorse more social housing without adequate social infrastructure being in place now let alone the future.

Nick and our ten ALP Councillors will now have to step up to the plate as the evidence around them mounts. Evidence that shows they are creating an unhealthy and unliveable Sunshine.

Sunvale will be that plate that they will need to step across and meet the community front on on the other side.

We will have a healthy liveable Sunshine for our kids and their kids futures. Mark our words.

Liveability and open space wrote:
We will have a healthy liveable Sunshine for our kids and their kids futures. Mark our words.
you and who's army??

I guess sunshine is the ghetto melbourne had to have

obviously, if our own council doesn't think we deserve the full park who are we to argue

Has anyone down at Brimbank Council seen this website and thought about how the design principles for Healthy places and spacescan be applied in Sunshine??

http://www.healthyplaces.org.au/site/


And its a pity that Brimbank Council didnt follow the lead of the Australian Local Government Association on this issue and on the Rail Freight issue
http://www.alga.asn.au/news/20090814.php?id=7f9d4bb9475f9559b2fd8bca803b6450