AN enormous amount of free newspaper copy, council spin and questionable advertising material has focused on marketing Metro Village 3175.
Despite this, only 21 homes, including Carl Wulff’s four confidence-booster townhouses, had allegedly been sold from the proposed 1300 by mid-June. Obviously reasonably smart, upwardly mobile “lifestyle” homebuyers are not attracted to highly priced homes built on the southern industrial side of the Dandenong railway line on historically flood-prone land.
Greater Dandenong Council and VicUrban, the State Government’s development manager, have apparently, and with possibly serious future implications, both disregarded information about former flooding and badly misjudged the local housing market.
The joint developers’ apparent anxiety about the slow sales in Metro Village 3175 is now becoming evident in seemingly defensive and misleading statements from the council and press stunts such as sod-turning and site inspections by members of parliament.
Metro Village 3175’s impractical position on Cheltenham Road, beyond walking distance from existing schools, supermarkets and the central activities district, will force residents into dependency on private vehicles in the absence of accessible public transport.
If the disappointing rate of growth continues, Metro Village 3175 will probably have a lengthy wait for the establishment of bus services, particularly as recent government bus funding will go first to areas of proven high demand. Moreover, much of the development is too distant from the station for walking, particularly in hot or wet weather, and additional station parking is apparently not envisaged to accommodate would-be train travellers.
Dandenong is a designated transit city, supposedly encouraging public transport usage.
Have Greater Dandenong Council and VicUrban now been exempted from the State Government’s Melbourne 2030 planning guidelines?
Janet Cox,
Dandenong.
AS A ratepayer of 40 years I would like to express my opinion about these “dreams” of Greater Dandenong (City Dreams Sink, Star, 6 July).
It has always been beneficial for our psyche to dream, provided we can afford these dreams.
The new logo of Greater Dandenong, The City of Opportunity, sounds to me and other people I meet a bit ironic. It doesn’t make people cope better or become healthier.
Instead of a facade I would prefer better services for everyone, young and old. A healthier infrastructure, better services for the aged, especially for those living alone.
This would include things like changing a light bulb or smoke detector battery. Sounds trivial doesn’t it?
Yet we ratepayers dream that the council will one day address these real issues.
Helen Andriotis,
Springvale South.
MEMBERS of the Springvale Benevolent Society appreciate the concern for their wellbeing (Fears Over Grants Cut, Star, 6 July).
The mayor, councillors and staff of the City of Greater Dandenong give regular support to the society.
We are not office-bound, we stride out on the streets and attend to home visits. Two councillors who step out with us are Alan Gordon and Yvonne Herring. I am sure Alan would agree Yvonne’s work with the society is massive.
Wes Eggleston,
secretary,
Springvale Benevolent Society.
REGARDING the recent spate of articles on interfaith gatherings, Christians need to be mindful of the pitfalls of being involved in such movements. The Bible makes it clear (John 14:6) that the only way to eternal salvation is through Jesus Christ.
We are called to live in peace with those around us and this should be a priority, but the main priority should be the salvation of those around us. What is the point of us all living in so called “multicultural harmony” if we are all led to eternal damnation?
The only true multicultural harmony is possibly through the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It simply cannot be achieved by man, but has been made possible through God. Unknown to many, our fuzzy State Government spends our money on interfaith initiatives.
As Paul reasons (II Corinthians 6:14) “what fellowship is there between light and darkness?”
The State Government and the Minister for Pot Pourri should be denounced in the strongest possible terms for entering into and embracing this fellowship of darkness.
Paul Donovan,
Cleeland Ward councillor,
City of Greater Dandenong.
