MARCH 13, 2018 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
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Council ‘out of time’ By Tate Papworth Member for Niddrie Ben Carroll has given the Brimbank council an ultimatum – buy the former Calder Rise Primary School site or lose the opportunity forever. Mr Carroll said the council had been given ample opportunity to buy the land and the time for meaningful action was now. “This is an example of sloppy handling by the Brimbank council,” he said. “In good faith I’ve stopped the sale of the site and given the council the opportunity to buy the land at a discounted rate. “If something isn’t done at their meeting, then the Victorian School Building Authority will be putting in a call and the site will be going up for sale. “I know for a fact there’s a lot of outside interest in the land, but we wanted to give Brimbank council the first opportunity to purchase it.” The results of a due diligence report to assess whether the council should buy the site were to be discussed during February’s meeting, but were pushed back. Mr Carroll said the council would be neglecting the people of Keilor if it didn’t buy the land. “There’s a demand for facilities with female sport growing, but the council seem to be positioning themselves to make this an election issue,” he said. “I believe the council can afford to buy this land, they’ve just built flash new offices and purchased sites in Sunshine. “It’s unfair to dangle a carrot in front of the community if you’re not serious about it and I don’t believe they’ve been serious.” Brimbank council acting director city development Leanne Deans said the council will discuss the issue at an upcoming meeting, but didn’t specify when. She said the council in July initiated a due diligence report into buying property which would: “be presented to council for consideration at a future meeting”.
Ben Carroll has lost patience with Brimank council over the school site. (Marco De Luca)
Marjorie 100 years young Marjorie Henry has spent most of her life caring for others, but last week it was her turn to be the centre of attention as she celebrated her 100th birthday. The Sydenham centenarian was born in the Otways on March 6, 1918, the oldest of five children, and spent her momentous day celebrating with five generations of her family. Marjorie’s only child, Joan Strawbridge, said her mum had spent most of her life as a serving sister in the priory of the St Johns Ambulance, among other jobs including a seamstress. “She used to tell us stories about riding a horse to school, and about her family farm that she grew up on,” Ms Strawbridge said. “She lived in Colac, and then Pascoe Vale, before she started working at 16. She was working on a farm in New Zealand when the war broke out. So her and her first husband came back to Australia on a black-out ship and I was born a couple of years later. “He left soon after, and she raised me with my grandparents. She’s a very strong woman.” Marjorie remarried in 1954, and when her second husband died in 1967 she moved in with her daughter. Marjorie moved in with her mother to care for her in her old age, before returning to her daughter, and marrying for a third time. Watching her family grow to now include three grand children, seven great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandson, she still refuses to call herself old. “She’s never said that she was old, even when she was in her 80s she just said she was ‘getting old’,” Ms Strawbridge said. “I asked her if she would be old when she turned 100, she thought about it and just said ‘maybe’.” Marjorie Henry with daughter Joan Strawbridge, granddaughter Karen Strawbridge, great-granddaughter Rebecca Galea and great-great-grandson Joey. (Mark Wilson)
Ewen McRae