Summer 2008

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CRA Christmas Party

The tradition continues – the CRA Christmas party will again be at La Mama, on Monday 10 December, 6pm. This is always a fantastic social get-together in a uniquely Carlton venue. Please plan to join us to celebrate another successful year for CRA with members and guests, and to enjoy our usual array of nibbles and drinks. Please RSVP by Friday 7 December: 9347 1411 or carltonresidents@gmail.com.
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We wish you all a very merry Christmas and best wishes for 2008.

Community Centre News UPDATE (Kathleen Syme Centre)

Following months of CRA lobbying, including all your letters, emails and phone calls, the Council has finally relented. At the full Council Meeting on 25 September, chaired by Lord Mayor So, the following resolution, moved by Cr Wilson and seconded by Cr Singer, was carried unanimously:
“That Council confirm that the Kathleen Syme Centre is Council’s preferred location for the Carlton Community Centre, and formallyoffer to purchase the facility from the State Government.”
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Cultural Precinct Development Fund

You will recall the “Cultural Precinct Enhancement Fund” (Spring 2007 Newsflash p.5) and the four imaginative proposals CRA submitted for consideration. We received a letter from George Lekakis, Chairperson, Victorian Multicultural Commission, stating that “it is not possible to invite your (CRA’s) proposal to proceed”.
Instead, “the proposal that the City of Melbourne has put forward for the Lygon Street cultural precinct” will proceed.
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Greening median strips around University of Melbourne Eastern recinct (College Square on Swanston)

CRA has long lobbied MCC Planning Committee for increased Median Strip Greening. The idea of returning median car parking areas to greenspace been around for many years and was emphasised in the Carlton 2010 vision document.
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Melbourne 2030 Audit Update

Melbourne 2030 (M2030) is a controversial planning policy introduced in 2002 aimed at concentrating residential development within 120 “Activity Centres” to curb urban sprawl (Spring 2007 Newsflash). The State Government has established an Audit Expert Group (AEG) to audit M2030 implementation.
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Planning

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Coalition of Residents Associations (CoRA)

CRA Vice-President Dr Jackie Watts coordinates CoRA, and reported on its meeting of 31 October:
CoRA’s primary concern remains the So team’s continued resistance to electoral reform argued by some councillors, residents groups, the business community and others. Cr Peter Clarke advised that the So team used its numbers at the Council meeting on 30 October, voting as a bloc to defeat his resolution which sought to rescind the earlier Council decision against a review of the electoral process.
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CRA Dinner Get-together

On Monday 22 October 28 members and friends gathered at Dimattina’s Restaurant to enjoy a convivial meal and an address by after-dinner speaker Dr Kate Shaw, Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Melbourne.
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Council CEO Resignation

Controversial City of Melbourne CEO David Pitchford is moving on. Having presumably “cut his teeth” on the still evolving and somewhat problematic Melbourne Docklands project, he will move to Dubai to head the world’s largest waterfront development.
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CoM Place Managers

The City of Melbourne has restructured its relationship with residents and business. Formerly five Place Managers were allocated to various areas within CoM in a quasi PR /Community liaison role, to collaborate and share concerns between Council and the community.
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New Royal Women’s Hospital

Due to open in June 2008
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Carlton residents cameo

CRA member Dr. Andrew Turner reports on a recent assignment in Indonesia.
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Coming Events

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