First steps taken towards new Liardet centre

The site for the Liardet St Family and Children's Centre is being prepared. Trees to be kept have been clearly marked with red tape as described in the tree management fact sheet. Other trees have been removed.

Council notes 3: Liardet Street Family and Children's Centre gets the go ahead

This evening Council met and resolved to award a contract to Core Properties Pty Ltd 'to provide the construction of Liardet Street Family and Children's Centre and notes that the contract sum [excluding demolition] is $4,371,100 exclusive of GST together with an additional provisional allowance of $624,550 exclusive of GST for soil remediation'. For the full report click here or go to Council meetings and agendas on the right hand menu. The buildings on site are likely to be demolished in January. The exact date has yet to be determined.

Update: Lady Forster Kindergarten

Today the Heritage Council heard the application made by a Port Melbourne resident to place Lady Forster Kindergarten in Esplanade West on the Victorian Heritage Register. Council does not think that LFK should be on the Register. The Heritage Council gave no time frame for their decision beyond saying it would be very soon.

Playhouse will go on

SouthPort Playhouse will be able to continue their valued service after Council last night agreed to support it to the end of June 2012. Playhouse has offered occasional childcare in this community for over 25 years. Parents contribute through fees as well as regular rosters. The service, based at Port Melbourne Primary School, was facing closure by the end of the year as neither federal nor state government would agree to continue funding the 'Take a Break' program.

Liardet Childrens Centre - further delay

The Heritage Council of Victoria has written to Council advising that the hearing for heritage registration of the Lady Forster Kindergarten has been adjourned from 29 September to 28 October.

Important update on the Liardet Family and Children's Centre

I would like to let you know about two things affecting the planned Liardet Family and Children's Centre that are the subject of a report to Council tomorrow night. On 15 March 2011 Council awarded a contract to construct the Liardet Street Family and Children's Centre to Maxstra Constructions Pty Ltd for $4,256,946 [inlusive of GST]. Since then

• Maxstra Constructions' representatives have advised Council that MC will not enter into a contract for the sum it tendered. They claim that costs of materials and labour have increased significantly since they priced the project


• In addition, the Victorian Heritage Council has received a nomination to include Lady Forster Kindergarten on the Victorian Heritage Register. This process may take up to 4 months and will delay the construction of the project. [The building was unsuccessfully nominated for the Register in 2009.]

It is recommended that Council rescind the resolution of 15 March and re-tenders the project owing to the unavoidable delay consideration of the heritage nomination represents. To read the full report going to Council, please go to the meeting reports page here.

Liardet St Children's Centre update

VCAT has granted a planning permit for the Liardet Family and Children's Centre on Liardet St/Esplanade West.

Written confirmation of the Tribunal's approval was received this week. I will keep you posted as the project unfolds.

What's happening with ... the Liardet St Children's Centre updated

Plans for the Liardet Children's Centre, approved by Council, were appealed to VCAT. The hearing is on 7 February. Two out of three objectors have withdrawn their objections.

Meanwhile, Lady Forster Kindergarten was due to begin its new year at the Elwood Beach House. However, because of difficulties finding a builder over the holiday period who could do the necessary works to bring the Beach House into compliance with Children's Services Regulations, their move will now be delayed to after the April holidays. By that time the outcome of the VCAT hearing should be known.

[received this advice after yesterday's post]

Status report on proposed Liardet St Family and Children's Centre

Lady Forster Kindergarten has appealed Council's decision to grant a permit for a family and children's centre to VCAT.

The appeal will be heard on 7, 8 and 9 February 2011.

Making it safer to walk or ride to Port Primary

Over the September school holidays, raised pavements will be constructed across Poolman St at Clark St to assist children to cross more safely from Garden City Reserve to Port Melbourne Primary.
It is hoped that a secondary benefit will be to reduce the rat run from Williamstown Rd to Rouse St and beyond.

Childcare update

The 160 place childcare centre with 28 carparking spaces, cnr Crockford/Ingles, approved by Council in 2005 is finally nearing completion, with invitations to register for places.

Meanwhile, two appeals to VCAT have been lodged against Council's decision to issue a permit for the construction of a new family and children's centre on the Lady Forster and adjacent site in Liardet St. It is hoped the appeal will be heard before the end of 2010.
To review Council's decision, see posts of 19 and 20 July at http://portfocus.blogspot.com

Next step taken towards an integrated children's centre on Liardet Street

Tonight Council resolved to issue a Notice of Decision to Grant a Permit for the use of the land at 85 Liardet Street and 186 Esplanade West for the purpose of an 85 childcare centre and 50 place kindergarten and the removal of native vegetation.

Click here for the full council report.

Port in the papers over the weekend

'Too many kids in inner-city schools? That's another storey'
'Port Melbourne Primary School principal Peter Martin said "the school's two storey portable, due to arrive next fornight, was a good temporary solution. It means getting rid of our single-storey portables and getting our oval back and we're grateful for that, but if enrolments keep going the way they are, we'll end up with a playground covered with portables." [Natalie Craig, Sunday Age May 9, 2010, p7]
'Neighbourhood watch: see your vegies grow' half the article devoted to Dig In Community Garden
'The members reflect the mix of the suburb, from old-timers to newly arrived apartment dwellers. "In the garden they all speak a common language: It's about how their crops are going. That helps people get to know each other," Ms Rocheford says.' [Michael Green, Domain, Sundage Age May 9, 2010 p5]

Entering another world

The playspace at Garden City Reserve is finished. A lovely space has been created for imaginative play. Natural materials are used throughout in a beautifully planted landscape.
There are elevated places for adults to sit within the playground so they can keep an eye on children while still being comfortable.
This small photo does not do justice to the charm of the setting, so I recommend you take a look yourself. It is best accessed off Beacon Road if coming by car, because Turner Avenue is very narrow.

Port Melbourne Primary on a high

Today's May fair expressed the energy in the Port Melbourne Primary School community. The school was alive with activity and goodwill.

Liardet project still secure

Some people have asked whether the recent Federal government announcement on childcare funding will affect the two childcare projects in Port Phillip: at Liardet St and St Kilda (Chapel St)
The answer is no.
There is ongoing commitment at federal and state level to seeing these two projects delivered.

Port Melbourne items on Council agenda

There are three reports relevant to Port Melbourne on the agenda for the Council meeting on 22nd February which will be held at the St Kilda Town Hall at 6pm. These summary statements are from the council reports.

Liardet St family and children's centre design plans

This report summarises the progress of the project and provides preliminary design plans for the centre

Proposed land transfer to Port Phillip Housing Association for community housing

It is is proposed to transfer land at 121 Liardet Street, Port Melbourne to the Port Phillip Housing Association to facilitate a community housing development comprising 22 studio apartments and 5 one bedroom apartments but retaining title to car parking on the ground level

Beacon Cove Planning Controls - amendment C73 to the Port Phillip Planning Scheme

Amendment C73 proposes to introduce a new planning framework for the residential area of Beacon Cove. New planning controls are required to appropriately manage the area which is now fully developed. The amendment also proposes to transfer the responsible authority status for the land from the Minister for Planning to Council. The report will request authorisation from the Minister for Planning for exhibition of the amendment.

Full agendas and reports are available from www.portphillip.vic.gov.au/february_2010_agendas.htm

Portosaurus gets a lot of visitors

Several people spoke to me at yesterday afternoon's youth festival about the new playspace in Garden City Reserve. One family said they visited twice a day. Another said it was 'absolutely fantastic'.
'It is lovely to see so many children and parents using the playground in Garden City Reserve. Someone even had a picnic there last weekend with an umbrella and balloons. It looked quite festive'

The eye

The new Garden City playground was officially opened today and the winning name for the dragon announced, Portosaurus.
The design of the playground was informed by ideas from children who play in the park. The flying fox is especially popular. This is no off the shelf generic playground.

Street gallery of Port Primary's artwork

I love the paintings by Port Melbourne Primary School children on the Swallow Street site of the Melbourne Water main sewer replacement project.
It is interesting to me that most of the paintings show multi-storey buildings, bridges and freeways - there are only a few of single houses - reflecting the city as it is today.

artwork painted by students from Port Melbourne Primary School for the Melbourne Main Sewer Replacement: a Melbourne Water and John Holland initiatve as part of their community engagement and schools schools programme