Tuesday, 28 January, 2025
Coalition’s new policy
CFA excited for Open Day
Charter to show in Melbourne
Real Estate begins on
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A Star News Group Publication
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Service wins
Yarra Ranges Council’s Community Awards winners with mayor Jim Child (right). (Dongyun Kwon: 455025)
Locals with collective decades of experience contributing to the Yarra Ranges Community have been awarded for their passion and commitment, as part of the Council’s Community Awards handed out on Australia Day. The awards, announced following the Council’s Australia Day 2025 Citizenship Ceremony on 26 January, recognised volunteering, environmental protection and advocacy for vulnerable community members. Yarra Ranges Mayor Jim Child congratulated the award winners for their efforts. “Every year, we select community members who have put in an outstanding amount of effort to help others, and I’m proud of this year’s cohort of winners,” Cr Child said. “Year-on-year, what binds our winners together is a genuine care for others; a want to make the world better, and the willingness to put their hands up to make it happen. It’s a really special thing when people go the extra mile for others or put consistent work in to make our little corner of the world better than it was before. “There are so many Yarra Ranges residents deserving of an award, and I hope reading about this year’s recipients inspires people to nominate those around them later this year.” Starting from page 8
Park masterplan By Mikayla van Loon Yarra Ranges Council has reaffirmed its decision to keep the former Kilsyth pool site as open space, with a masterplan set to be developed later this year. Local advocates are pushing for the new facility to include a 50-metre indoor pool at Kilsyth, emphasizing the community’s need for access to swimming facilities. Council has committed to exploring opportu-
nities for the area while also working on a business case for a new urban aquatics and leisure facility in nearby locations like Lilydale. Components of an aquatics and leisure facility being explored include an indoor lap pool, learn to swim program pool, group fitness room, steam and sauna, gym and cafe. Rebuild Our Kilsyth Pool lead petitioner Janis Floyd said the hope of the group in 2025, with both of these plans being looked at, is that the urban community will get a chance to put forward
their wants and needs. “Our argument is, of course, that there’s already land in Kilsyth, and it already has the utilities there. It has parking there. It’s easy for elderly people to drive there. It’s just straight up and down Hawthory Road,” she said. “So to most of the people who signed the petition, that seemed to be their preferred option. “What we’re hoping for is that when the masterplan for Kiloran reserve comes out, there will
be community consultation within the urban area of that plan. And we’re hoping that that plan will include a swimming pool, a 50 metre indoor, open all year swimming pool, just like we had before.” The council will include community consultation as part of the planning process, confirming in an update on Monday 20 January the preparations “include community broad consultation seeking ideas and feedback”. Read more on page 5
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