St Kilda Triangle

For all those who fought "Chadstone on Sea" in the St Kilda Triangle here is the new interim Master Plan.
See http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/lean-and-green-the-st-kilda-triangles-new-angle-20150923-gjsvxw.html "Lean and Green: The St Kilda Triangle's New Angle" The Interim Master Plan by Bianca Hall 23 September 2015 The Age. Letters to the Editor have expressed doubts over the new plan purportedly to have open green space with a "Pleasure Garden" and "Pavilions"!

http://stkildatriangle.com/index.htmSee website Latest News on the St Kilda Triangle - invitation to "Co-Design the Triangle's Public Space"Registrations close Thursday 8 October 2015. Have your say!

Warning - Avoid St Kilda Saturday 26 September 2015 - Concert in the Catani Gardens

Tomorrow 26 September 2015 the City of Port Phillip has allowed a concert or some kind of musical event - "Listen Out" - is to be held in the Catani Gardens St Kilda 2 pm to 11 pm. Sorry re delay in notifying you but we only just found out.

Despite our long standing protests, Port Phillip Council is persisting in holding sports, festivals and musical events in the Catani Gardens which were once magnificent heritage, botanic Gardens established by the famous Carlo Catani. (We have repeated ad infinitum that sports events should be held in purpose built sports grounds or concerts in music venues.) Unfortunately the Catani Gardens have, in our view, been increasingly degraded and trashed by these events..It appears that they have turned into a cash cow for the Council as the income for advertising must be very profitable.

In setting up the infrastructure for tomorrow's "Listen Out" - a giant concert stage and shell.- workers appear to have squashed an avenue of Canary Island palms. The other trees may not have been protected either, witness a shed erected under the magnificent Moreton Bay Fig Tree on Beaconsfield Parade.

It is plain that these events are a health hazard as the rubbish is sometimes left for a day or so piled up in the Gardens and the rows of full portaloos sometimes left standing over the weekend. I will spare you the photos. Tourists report being revolted by the state of the Gardens after events. Is it any wonder that the tourist numbers have declined?.

We say avoid St Kilda as roads are closed - Beaconsfield Parade and Pier Road along the foreshore. There are others which have road works in progress. Parking will be limited. And Councillors cannot understand why people are not flocking to Fitzroy Street in weekends! There is even a sign in Beaconsfield Parade saying something to the effect that there will be crowds spilling onto the roads so "drive safely"! No mention by the City of Port Phillip staff of police providing security or drug surveillance. An alcohol licence has been issued despite the fact alcohol is not normally allowed in the Gardens. Will the St Kilda Triangle development turn into another Catani Gardens once built?

We suggest that you visit the Catani Gardens another fine day to enjoy its serenity and views of the Bay. Also a walk along the Pier to see the penguins. If anyone would like to join the Friends of Catani Gardens to help our campaign to honour the great Carlo Catani by restoring the Gardens to their former glory and for use for "passive recreation" and informal sport as they were in the early days of St Kilda simply contact me on jbell5[at]bigpond.com or my Mobile 0408022408.