THE people’s wish list has been heard by the Mitchell Shire Council as it continues work on its Draft 10-Year Capital Works Program.
The draft, which was supported in December, received 90 individual submitters up until the end of February which presented 133 proposals. Of those 133, 98 related to Capital projects.
Making up 84 per cent of the themes were four key issues.
Upgrades to recreational leisure and community facilities presented as the most pressing issue for Mitchell Shire submitters, with 35 submissions received.
Eighteen submissions related to upgrades to existing footpaths and trails, as well as construction, while upgrades and refurbishment of road infrastructure was presented in 17 submissions. Finally, 15 submissions related to upgrades to Council buildings.
Kilmore and Seymour represented 50 per cent of the proposals, with 26 proposals based in Kilmore and 23 based in Seymour, while 10 proposals were also based in Wallan.
Twenty-two submissions were heard last Monday night, with Mitchell Shire councillors required to put on their thinking caps to best position themselves on gathering information for key concerns.
A number of potential projects were put up for discussion.
Most notable was the multiple submissions from the Kilmore Golf Club and Kilmore Cricket Club looking for assistance to help put together works on their existing clubs while on crown land.
Kilmore Golf Club president Bea Lay submitted a proposal to seek help for the golf club in its continued “distressing and disheartening” fight against corellas, ducks and crows attacking the greens, which Mitchell Shire Mayor John Dougall confirmed he would put some thinking into the issue.
This was followed by Kilmore Cricket Club’s Lawrie Boyd, who spoke in support of the golf club, with both clubs sharing the land, outlining how corellas had been at its most problematic for the cricket club this year.
Also representing the Kilmore Cricket Club was David Mac Bean, who sought support for the club’s “well past its use-by date” cricket nets, with a focus on expanding the girls’ and juniors’ cricket program and being compliant with Cricket Australia standards.
Another notable potential project was the idea of bringing forward a second recreation reserve to complement JJ Clancy Reserve in Kilmore, which was presented by Kilmore Football Netball Club president Leigh Irons.
Mr Irons’ proposal drew on the fact that the club, as well as Kilmore Little Athletics, were starting to cap numbers due to the available space on JJ Clancy Reserve, centring around a proposal to match other clubs in the region, such as Wallan, Mernda and Laurimar, in having a second oval to spread resources and clubs to obtain more home games.
Notable environmental proposals came from Tim Budge on behalf of the Mitchell Alliance for Tracks and Trails, who wanted council support for a trail stretching from Wallan to Heathcote; Mitchell Bicycle Users Group’s Pauline Duff, who sought support for completion of the Kilmore Creek Linear Trail; and Paul Macgregor, president of BEAM, who sought a broad approach to environmental issues.
Roads issues were raised by Geoff Winnell, who sought support for speed humps on Ferguson Street and Govett Street in Broadford; Denis Grose, who asked for footpath improvements and construction in Hidden Valley; Bernadette Bell and Brian O’Dwyer from the Broadford Residents Action Group, focusing on missing link footpaths in Broadford; Ruth Hall, who focused on missing link footpaths, signage and roads in Seymour and Jessica Hockley, who also requested consideration for a missing link footpath on Redbank Road in Seymour.
Notable sporting projects included Bronwyn Allen focusing on the Seymour Bowling Club’s needs for new lights at the precinct, the Northern Football Netball League’s Lauren Theodosis talking to the need to establish a new sporting club in Beveridge focused on netball, Caitlin Gibson, who spoke on a submission to find a new home for the Hidden Valley Calisthenics Team, Stephen Shephard, who spoke to the need for Wallan’s Greenhill Reserve to earn a new toilet block for young families, and Michael Easton, who was looking for greater support to help the Seymour Junior Netball Association earn more courts for growth.
Grahame Thom presented his concerns for council-owned Whitburgh Cottage, which included the lack of bathroom facilities, which could assist in landing a user group for the building.
Finally, Mandy McCracken presented her case to receive more funding for the Get Started Disability Support Workshops, which has been designed to help newly disabled people receive support to navigate their newly acquired disability.
