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3 July – 9 July 2012
MPNEWS (1300 676 397) or email: team@mpnews.com.au www.mpnews.com.au
Potholes leave no room for opportunity MAKING it across the car park to the front door of the opportunity shop at Balnarring creates a surprising number of opportunities. Four-wheel drive owners can use the car park as a handy obstacle course; schoolkids waiting to be picked up can sail makeshift boats or get their feet wet. Birds and dogs find it a ready source of water. However, as an entrance to a shop, the car park leaves a lot to be desired. Deep potholes are a problem for small cars and wheelchairs need to be equipped with floatation devices, although the occupant of one that tipped over a week or so ago was not so flippant. The waterholes dotting the gravel car park have overflowed onto the lawns surrounding neighbouring St Mark’s Anglican Church, creating a non-negotiable quagmire (unless you’re a duck or wearing gumboots). “We contacted VicRoads and they said it was a council [Mornington Peninsula Shire] matter,” op shop coordinator Dawn Barclay said. “We went down to the council offices and they said fixing the car park was on a list, but not a high priority. “Playgroups come to the church and for toddlers the puddles are waist deep. “It quite a feat to negotiate for mothers with pushers and almost impossible for older people who use walking sticks or frames.” Ms Barclay said people connected with the op shop had been trying to get the car park filled for the past two years, “but the council and VicRoads blame each other”. A member of the church congregation had previously filled the potholes, but was told to stop because the car park was owned by the council. Keith Platt
Renew guru eyes Hastings By Mike Hast THE revival of Hastings starts next Tuesday when urban renewal guru Marcus Westbury arrives in town. Mr Westbury will talk about how he and others helped revive the centre of Newcastle by allowing short-term use of empty shops and offices by artists, creative projects and community initiatives. Two years ago one of the New South Wales city’s main malls was shabby
with vandalised and boarded-up shops. Now the opportunities given to entrepreneurial artists by Renew Newcastle have led to a transformation described as miraculous. Mr Westbury, the founder of Renew Newcastle and Renew Australia, has been invited to showcase the Newcastle experience and inspire Hastings at a meeting on Tuesday afternoon at Westernport Hotel. His visit is a joint venture between
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the Western Port Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Mornington Peninsula Shire. Chamber of commerce president Lisa Glover said ideas to revive Hastings were suggested soon after BlueScope announced in August it would close its hot strip mill and a metal coating plant in October with the loss of about 270 jobs. Ms Glover said that with shop vacancies hovering over 20, now was
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the time to do something different. “The renew project will encourage artists, craftspeople and hobbyists and give the town a better face,” she said. The chamber and shire have invited retail property owners to the meeting and hope to convince some to join the renew project. More than 70 people including landlords, retailers and residents have replied to invitations. Ms Glover said Hastings was in a
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state of flux with retail shop rents rising, but growth lagging. “When the state government confirmed its plans to expand the Port of Hastings, we saw retail properties change hands and rents go up,” she said. “We want everyone in the town to have a say about its revival.” She said the concept hinged on landlords making their properties available. Continued Page 2