McDonald's dispute goes to mediation

PUBLIC input is being urgently sought on how the proposed New Norfolk McDonalds' Restaurant should look. Mediation has been ordered between the parties who appealed the Derwent Valley Council's recent approval of the development and this is set down for this Thursday, April 7. Before then, design concepts and ideas are being sought from the community for the proposed fast food outlet and these can be forwarded to Jim on 0408 535 086 on or before April 7.

Bingley queries x-ray promise

THE Tasmanian Greens candidate for the Upper House division of Derwent, Phillip Bingley, yesterday called on Health Minister Michelle O’Byrne to confirm to the Derwent Valley community when the New Norfolk Hospital's X-ray service would be be re-established. "With the closure of the Ouse Hospital several years ago, the State Government stated that it would improve health services in the Derwent Valley, yet the most basic service, having an x-ray, has not been available in New Norfolk, despite there being a fully equipped facility," Mr Bingley said.

“It has been too long for the Derwent Valley to have been without such a critical service. It is a significant burden on the Tasmanian Ambulance Service to have to transport elderly residents to Hobart to have a simple X-ray; having a local facility available will free up the ambulances for the emergencies that they are really needed for. It can be very distressing for the frail and elderly in our community, including residents at ... Corumbene Nursing Home, to spend the best part of a day travelling to Hobart or Glenorchy, often waiting for hours to be seen, when they should be able to go to their local hospital, and then have the resulting images sent directly to their doctor.”

Mr Bingley said Ms O'Byrne had previously indicated that a new computerised X-ray system would be introduced at the Royal Hobart Hospital in July and should give regional hospitals like New Norfolk District Hospital instant access to imaging results. "This needs to be confirmed to the local community,” Mr Bingley said.


Please note: The writ for the Legislative Council election was issued yesterday. By law, comments relating to the election must now include the given name, surname and locality of the writer. Anonymous comments cannot be published. 

And Ray makes three

BUSINESSMAN Ray Williams is the third New Norfolk person to signal their intention to nominate for election to the Legislative Council seat of Derwent following the resignation of Michael Aird MLC, which took effect last week. Polling day is May 7.

Mr Williams today confirmed he would stand as an independent candidate along with fellow New Norfolk men Philip Bingley (an endorsed Tasmanian Greens candidate) and Craig Farrell (endorsed Labor Party candidate). They are joined by fellow Derwent Valley resident, Deirdre Flint of Hollow Tree, who recently announced her intention to nominate as an independent candidate.

While a phoney election campaign has been under way for some months, nominations do not close until noon on April 14 and a formal announcement of candidates' names will be made at noon on April 15.

Mr Williams' election platform has a strong country emphasis, featuring the need for more support for farmers and outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing, camping, horse riding, four-wheel-driving. "It is my intention to make sure that people that enjoy these activities get a fair go," Mr Williams said.

Please note: The writ for the Legislative Council election was issued today. By law, comments relating to the election must now include the given name, surname and locality of the writer. Anonymous comments cannot be published. 

March advertisement

BELOW is my latest councillor update, published in last week's issue of the Derwent Valley Gazette.

 

Your opinion wanted

PUBLIC comments on two Derwent Valley Council policy documents close in a week's time. At the council meeting held in Maydena last month, a revised strategic plan and a new tree policy were approved to be released for public comments.

The Strategic Plan is available for downloading from the council website using the following link:
Strategic Plan 2011-15

The draft tree management policy is now available on the council website by clicking here:
Tree Management Policy

Comments and submissions on either policy should be addressed to the General Manager, PO Box 595, New Norfolk 7140 and will be received up to 5pm on next Tuesday, April 5, 2011.


There is also an opportunity for residents and ratepayers to make suggestions for the next council budget. For several years now, the council has invited written submissions for the Operational and Capital works budgets. Written submissions will be received by the general manager until the close of business on Friday week (April 8, 2011) and these will be considered during the budget deliberation process.

Child and Family Centre

THESE are my speech notes from last week's council meeting, on the topic of locating the proposed Child and Family Centre on Ellis Dean Reserve at New Norfolk. 

"Mr Mayor, we are indeed fortunate that the State Government wishes to establish a Child and Family Centre in the Derwent Valley. Sadly, I cannot support the general manager's recommendation to approve part of Ellis Dean Reserve as the location of this centre.

"I acknowledge the efforts of the Local Enabling Group and the comprehensive work it has undertaken in consulting with stakeholders in the 0-5 years target group, but by its own admission the group has not consulted the community at large.

"It was entirely correct for the group to address its specific audience while considering potential sites for the centre, but more extensive consultation was required once a park was chosen as the preferred location.

"This has not happened, and a suggestion that the council canvas public opinion was rejected by the leaders of group. Instead, it is proposed that the public have its say once the development application has been lodged - an adversarial process which could create another 'them and us' conflict.

"After the recent controversy over the proposed McDonald's, it is unfortunate that we may be setting ourselves up for a dispute over what has been called empty land at Ellis Dean Reserve. It is not vacant land - it is a park. It belongs to the whole community and the whole community should be given its say in this proposal to remove 2000 square metres of this park from public use.

"Ellis Dean Reserve is an important playground both for people who live in the area and others who travel from other parts of the town and beyond. In the midst of a so-called obesity epidemic, we need more places for young people to run and play, not less.

"Of course, it may be that the whole community agrees this is the perfect location for a Child and Family Centre, but at present this has not been tested and in the absence of full consultation I cannot support this recommendation."

Despite voting against the location, I support the proposed centre and wish its committee well as it progresses its plans.

Thinking outside the burger box

The proposed New Norfolk McDonald's

A similar Australian McDonald's

MANY McDonald's restaurants around Australia look fairly similar, built to a standard design, but it doesn't have to be that way.

At certain locations in Australia and around the world, developers come up with a design that suits local needs, circumstances and surroundings. In some places, McDonald's restaurants are fitted into existing buildings - there are even examples in medieval buildings in Europe.

In other places, McDonald's builds brand new restaurants that have been designed with their local surroundings in mind, and this was my hope for New Norfolk.

The developer behind the New Norfolk McDonald's proposal has exercised his right to appeal the Derwent Valley Council's requirement that he "work with the council and community to design a building that is appropriate to the site, taking into account the neighbouring heritage areas." I'm told by the council's general manager that the developer is prepared to discuss colours and materials, but not the design of the building.

Below are some examples of McDonald's restaurants around the world that have been built to unique designs that suit their surroundings. This remains my hope for New Norfolk's McDonald's.

I don't suggest that any of these would suit the New Norfolk site - they are merely an indication of what developers have been prepared to do in other locations.

North Carolina, USA

Yellowstone, USA

New York

Arizona, US (with Green Arches)

Singapore

Napier, New Zealand (art deco city)