Working for Whitehorse

Meet John Nikas, Council’s Transport Coordinator, who has been working for almost two decades to make Whitehorse a better place for drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and commuters to get around.

John, who grew up in Forest Hill, studied Civil Engineering at Monash University in the 1990s. He initally worked in the private transport industry before he got his first local government job with Boroondara Council’s transport team in 2001.

Two years later, he made the move to Whitehorse as a senior Transport Engineer, and since 2007 he’s been in his current role of Transport Coordinator managing a team of nine staff.

John said his team provides technical advice and responses to the community on traffic, parking and road safety matters throughout the municipality. They also work closely with the community on developing transport projects, programs and events.

John said he had built many strong and lasting relationships with his fellow Council officers over the years and enjoyed engaging with the community and stakeholders through his role.

“Having grown up in the municipality, it is amazing how much the City of Whitehorse has changed with respect to transport,” John said. “The transport industry has changed significantly. The decisions the team make don’t just consider cars and motorbikes, but walking, cycling and public transport as well”.

King’s Birthday Honours

Council congratulates five recipients with Whitehorse links who were recognised in the 2023 King’s Birthday Honours announced last month. Find out more about them:

PROFESSOR MELANIE BAHLO (AM)

Ms Bahlo, a Blackburn resident, was made a Member of the Order of Australia for her significant service to genetic and infectious disease research, and to public health. She is a Laboratory Head at The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.

DAVID WINTER (OAM)

Mr Winter received his Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to the community of Mont Albert and Surrey Hills. He founded a meals on wheels service for the elderly and struggling international students during the COVID-19 pandemic and was named Council’s 2021 Citizen of the Year. He is also a founding member and past president of the Rotary Club of Mont Albert and Surrey Hills (MASH).

DR PHILOMENE JOSHUA TENNI (OAM)

The late Dr Tenni, who lived in Box Hill, was posthumously honoured with a Medal of the Order of Australia for her service to community health. Dr Tenni particularly made an impact helping pregnant women, including establishing a phone support service and working as a founder of the Caroline Chisholm Society.

DONALD BARRY CHEYNE (OAM)

The late Mr Cheyne, who lived in Mount Waverley, was posthumously honoured with a Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to table tennis. He spent more than 70 years as a volunteer of the Eastern Suburbs and Churches Table Tennis Association and organised longrunning competitions on Monday nights in Blackburn South and Forest Hill.

FRANCES EVANS (OAM)

Mrs Evans, a Burwood resident, received a Medal of the Order of Australia for her service to surf lifesaving. She has been involved with the sport since the 1970s and held numerous roles at state, local and national levels.

Local Law Review

From animals to building site management, local laws enable Council to create a safe, vibrant and harmonious community.

To ensure our local laws continue to reflect the needs of our community, we are reviewing them and we want to hear from you!

Local laws are designed to:

▪ respond to issues in the community

▪ protect and enhance public health, safety and amenity

▪ support a clean and healthy environment

▪ protect Council assets.

This review process only occurs once every decade, making your participation even more vital.

It is your chance to voice your opinions on a wide range of topics, from safety issues to environmental sustainability, to what you can do in Council reserves and owning animals.

Your feedback will help us identify emerging issues and address concerns in Whitehorse.

L Feedback closes on 31 July 2023. Tell us your thoughts at yoursay.whitehorse.vic.gov.au/local-laws

Developing our city’s economic future

Council is currently developing the Investment and Economic Development Strategy 2023-27.

The strategy will further explore the following themes that have been identified as part of the consultation process:

▪ Supporting activity centres and shopping precincts

▪ Enhancing livability outcomes

▪ Accessing a skilled and ‘job-ready’ labour force

▪ Supporting a productive and innovative business community

▪ Fostering a visitor economy growth.

The draft Investment and Economic Development Strategy will be available for public comment in mid-August.

L For the latest information please visit www.wbiz.com.au

More safety measures at Kerrimuir shops

Safety bollards have been installed at the Kerrimuir shops to further protect shoppers and traders.

A handful of incidents have occurred at the shopping strip in recent years with drivers accidentally driving their cars over the kerb and footpath and into shopfronts.

Council already installed wheel stops in the centre’s parking spaces last year, and our transport team revisited the safety situation after another accident occurred at the shops in November 2022.

Following consultation with the impacted traders on their preferred treatment and positioning, five bollards and a bike hoop were installed near their businesses. Council funded these works at a cost of $25,000 through its Capital Works Program, and completed them after trading hours to minimise disruptions to traders and shoppers.

Elgar Ward Councillor Blair Barker said, “Extensive consultation around various design options with both the traders and community informed our final outcomes, and the new bike parking and some strategically placed bollards that integrate with the existing street furniture look great.”

Linking back to history at The Round

As The Round takes shape as the premier performing arts centre for Melbourne’s East, it will include special touches of history from the former Whitehorse Centre including the Bicentenary Leadlight Mural, some of the theatre seats and time capsules.

Shayne Price, Manager of Arts and Cultural Services, said these legacy pieces have been important inclusions into the construction of the new building from the outset.

“It’s a lovely link to our history, some of the old mixed with the new,” Shayne said. “We are both respecting and acknowledging those who’ve come before.”

The time capsules were retrieved from the original site, one located outside the front doors of the centre, the other buried in the foundations of the foyer. The oldest of them was laid June 16, 1985, to celebrate the commencement of construction of the Nunawading Arts Centre. The more recent capsule was laid on 5 December, 2001 to commemorate the 2001 International Year of Volunteers. Both these time capsules will be re-laid into the new development, to be opened in later years as originally intended. Two banks of seats from the former theatre are being restored to go into The Round’s Green Room.

The Bicentenary Leadlight Mural, created by local leadlighters and glass artists, was unveiled in 1988 and took pride of place in the entrance of the former centre. It has recently undergone restoration and will again make its home in the main entrance of the new building.

Shayne said the legacy pieces were an important part of The Round’s story and were just as important to Whitehorse City Council and the residents who’d shared in the former venue’s history.

Having your say on youth issues

Our Whitehorse Youth Representative Committee (WYRC) has been busy engaging the community over the issues that are important to them.

Throughout April and May, the WYRC held in-person consultations at Box Hill Mall, Box Hill Community Arts Centre, Box Hill Skate Park, Box Hill Gardens, and the Vermont South, Nunawading and Box Hill Libraries. Many of the committee members gave up time in their school holidays to collect a wide variety of responses.

The consultations were designed to identify the issues that young people and the community feel are important, and what can be done to address these issues to better support Whitehorse’s young people. Results from these consultations will inform how Council, Youth Services and the WYRC support young people aged 12-25 in the local community over the next four years. Watch this space for the final document.

Another opportunity for young people to have their say on key issues is coming up on Friday 4 August with the WYRC Youth Forum at Box Hill Town Hall. The forum is open to young people aged 12-17 and includes free food and prizes for all participants.

L Register your interest by emailing committee@wyrc.whitehorse.org.au

Shayne Price, Manager of Arts and Cultural Services, looks over a newly repaired section of Bicentenary Leadlight, before it makes its way into The Round.

The construction of The Round is drawing closer to project completion.

The Round Bar is beginning to take shape with a new and improved hospitality experience for patrons being developed. Installation of the state-ofthe-art Soundshell door, designed to transform

The Studio into a lively festival site, is also underway.

Creative Spaces within The Round are also close to completion and will inspire and nurture artistic expression whilst building community. These spaces will be perfect for hire for any group looking for a versatile space for use – including dance schools, yoga classes, martial arts or anything in between.

L Want to be the first to know what is happening at The Round? Visit theround.com.au and subscribe to our eNews!

Connections at Artspace: an exhibition for NAIDOC Week

In recognition of NAIDOC Week, artist Helen S. Tiernan's captivating landscapes, influenced by both Indigenous and European art traditions, feature in the Connections exhibition at Whitehorse Artspace.

Tiernan's paintings invite viewers to contemplate the interconnectedness of humanity and nature and contain landscapes which blend elements from European and Indigenous artistic traditions.

To mark NAIDOC Week, her works are being displayed alongside artworks by First Nations artists from the Whitehorse Art Collection. Connections is showing until 12 August 2023.

The gallery is open 10am to 4pm Tuesday – Friday and 12pm to 4pm Saturday.

Visit creativewhitehorse.vic.gov.au/artspace and @creativewhitehorse on social media for more details.