APRIL 24, 2018 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + PROPERTY GUIDE
(Joe Mastroianni)
At dawn, we remember The Doreen community is being encouraged to gather at the Laurimar cenotaph at dawn tomorrow for the Doreen RSL sub-branch’s first Anzac Day service. The sub-branch was officially established in August last year, providing veterans with an RSL close to home. President Wes Wridgway said tomorrow’s service would be a special time. “It’s quite exciting for the community and the returning veterans in the area,” he said. “We have really grown in recent months and have over 100 members in just over six months.” The sub-branch has been selling badges at Woolworths stores at Laurimar and Mernda over the past three weeks. “Each and every volunteer is determined to get into the community and not only sell Anzac Appeal badges, but to share their stories and experiences,” Mr Wridgway said. The dawn service will begin at 5.55am. Dawn services will also be held at the Epping RSL and Craigieburn War Memorial at Craigieburn Anzac Park, beginning at 6am. A second service will be held at the Craigieburn War Memorial at 10am, while a service will be held at the Broadmeadows War Memorial at Broadmeadows Town Park at 10.30am. WES WRIDGWAY
Laura Michell
$13m station windfall By Laura Michell A bigger and better fire station is on the cards for Craigieburn, with next week’s state budget set to include $13 million to replace the existing station. Emergency Services Minister James Merlino announced the new station on Friday, saying it would be built on a new site. The integrated station will cater for career and volunteer firefighters and will include space for up to five fire trucks and beds for 12 firefighters. At least eight career firefighters will be based at the station.
“The new station will mean the Craigieburn Fire Brigade will have the bigger, better and more modern base they need to protect their growing community,” Mr Merlino said. The fire brigade has been part of the Craigieburn community for 73 years, and is currently housed in a station on Craigieburn Road next to the police station. Yuroke MP Ros Spence said the new facilities would help make sure firefighters can continue to keep Craigieburn safe. Hume and Whittlesea councils are hoping the budget will also include a funding windfall for congested local roads which have missed out on funding in previous budgets.
Last year, Hume council slammed the government for leaving the community “hanging” after it failed to deliver funding for the duplication of Craigieburn, Mickleham, Sunbury and Somerton roads. And while the government has already started works to improve Plenty and Yan Yean roads, Whittlesea council is disappointed Bridge Inn, Childs, Epping, Edgars and Donnybrook roads, as well as Craigieburn Road East, have been overlooked. The councils want the budget to include a northern outer suburban arterial roads package, which they say will reduce travel time, improve road safety and better connect
communities. Whittlesea mayor Kris Pavlidis said roads in both municipalities were not coping with significant residential and industrial growth. “The fact is that many of the key roads across both municipalities are unable to meet the demands of large and increasing volumes of traffic,” she said. “Improved road infrastructure is desperately needed to keep our cities and state moving.” Hume mayor Geoff Porter said the council was also hopeful the budget would bring funding for five schools which needed to be built in Hume within the next five years to cope with soaring student numbers.
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