Comments on: Missing link on Gardiners Creek

By: Zed

Zed — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:42:48 +0000

Focus your energies on Stonnington CC. Have a good look at:

This brand new sign is designed to be placed at the south side of the Solway Bridge. It would be orientated in an east west direction. The first plank indicates that the Anniversary Trail is northwards, across the Solway bridge. Now note with interest the very bottom plank: It says "To Glen Waverly [sic], Blackburn Road Via Anniversary Trail and Markham Ave.".

This sign has been laying in wait ready for the closing of the gap in Gardiners Creek Trail, utilising the Markham Ave route. The sign is located in a Stonnington CC facility and has been there since at least Jan 2008 ie nearly a year. Clearly Stonnington CC has presupposed the plan for Markham Reserve will go ahead.

In the interim it appears a path could be put in, to the south of the golf course by the freeway:

Photos and map of route

Stonnington CC refuses to instigate this path. The two issues on which they rejected a path on the golf course: "safety and flood levels" are both invalid for this path. It's on high ground and some of the fences required to stop golf balls landing on the freeway are already up.

By: marco

marco — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 12:39:47 +0000

From the proposal (see page 59 for the financial side) you can see the total cost of the project is about $4 million to be done in 3 stages over 3-4 years. Stage 1 (year 1) is the Markham reserve part and is funded. Stage 2 (year 2) is the Warrigal Rd bridge which is not funded yet so might not even happen given the experience with the Solway bridge. And so Stage 3 (year 3) is the Solway bridge upgrade and you guessed it - not funded yet.... sounds like a mess to me.

By: Julia Blunden

Julia Blunden — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 05:39:59 +0000

Boroondara BUG have been working with Boroondara Council for the best possible outcome for this gap. Stonnington BUG unfortunately seems to be defunct.

The underpass under Warrigal Rd will be a real improvement, however a route that follows the creek more closely is highly desirable. If the current plan proceeds Solway Bridge will be quite inadequate for the amount of traffic it will attract and will need to be moved, preferably upstream, or at the very least upgraded.

Those of you who feel strongly about this should be lobbying Stonnington Council and if you live in or ride through Stonnington getting a BUG set up to do this more effectively.

By: marco

marco — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 02:59:02 +0000

oh see agenda and possibly notes here

There will be another meeting in December where council will vote... or defer again or something...

By: marco

marco — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:36:33 +0000

Correct – barely off street indeed and the poor Turners who live in one of the 2 houses on the corner will fairly much have the thing on their doorstep/driveway. Council just deferred the decision last night anyway as it came to light there are many other plans for Markham not shown on the ‘master’ plan (soccer grounds, skate parks, community gardens, …). I still don’t get why it can’t go along the golf course either nth side or south side which is flatter and more direct other than the fact Stonnington are being obstructive. Indeed 1st class fences could be put in with the money they saved on the very expensive bridges the Markham plan requires.