It is a sad year for all of us at Tuggeranong Community Council, when after fighting cancer for a long period, Eric Traise our President passed away. Eric was a retired Royal Australian Air Force Officer from Newcastle who served on the TCC for many years as a general member, Treasurer and TCC President in 2013 and, despite his illness, he stood and was re-elected for a 2nd term in September 2014. More than 140 people attended a Memorial Service for Eric on Friday 14th August, 2015.
But it was also a year when we have been able to tick off some of our identified important issues
- DSS staying in Tuggeranong, thus keeping employment in Tuggeranong.
- Promise of CIT Campus to open up next year in Tuggeranong.
- Infill in various area of Tuggeranong including: South Quay, Urambi Primary School area and near the Archives.
- Drawing nearer to something being done about improving water quality in Lake Tuggeranong with Tuggeranong being one of the identified areas where money will be spent, starting next year
Over the year we have had presentations from.
- Ministers – Shane Rattenbury and Mick Gentleman.
- Community groups: T one 5 project; (ACT Hockey), Erindale Community Gardens.
- Consultants – Purdon about South Quay and DSS Office Building.
- Government Departments: – Emergency Services and Roads about the Tharwa Drive Closure and Ashley Drive, ActewAGL, Asbestos Taskforce, Water Policy Division of ACT Government, Government Housing projects.
- The Heart Foundation presentation was most informative.
The TCC would like to thank all of the abovementioned presenters.
Throughout the year we have had active committees working on various issues:
- Environment committee looking at the issues of poor water quality in Lake Tuggeranong and issues of air pollution related to wood fires.
- Health and Community Committee – looking at community engagement and wellbeing, aged care and education,
- Planning and Development Committee – keeping us up to date on what is happening in this area
- Transport Committee – looking at ‘Active Transport’ and the implication of Capital Metro for Tuggeranong.
- A new Activities /Events Committee who will work to promote Tuggeranong and support activities in the area.
Now let’s review the year that was: –
October meeting :
- Beverley Flint and Glenys Patulny attended the Older Persons Assembly held at the ACT Assembly. We assisted in preparing new motions and amendments to past legislation.
- A Safe-Plate campaign was held in Tuggeranong.
- A Clean-up was organised for Lake Tuggeranong and was well attended.
Guest Speakers
Consultant Rob Purdon spoke about the new DSS Office Building in Tuggeranong (Thanks to our former President Eric Traise for talking to the head of this department re continuing in Tuggeranong)
- Stewart Thompson, the new Director of the Tuggeranong Festival, spoke about the new arrangements for the November Festival.
- We were given information about three new developments at South Quay – Watermark, Southport and Empire Global.
November meeting :
Guest Speakers :
- Shane Rattenbury – Minister for TAMS, Corrections, Housing, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs and Sports and Recreation talked about his portfolio responsibilities and answered questions on road works, changes to bus stops and Light rail.
- Matt Meyer from Purdon Associates briefed the meeting on Geocon’s plans to develop residential units at South Quay on Anketell Street. Unlike the earlier two developers, they propose a two stage development.
February meeting :
Eric Traise spoke about change of Chief Minister, with Kathy Gallagher preparing to go to the Senate and Andrew Barr to be our new Chief Minister. He also advised that people had problems with development applications, including complaints about a new childcare centre in Kambah.
Eric spoke about ongoing concerns re: the poor water quality in the lake, continued opposition to Capital Metro, the MR FLUFFY situation and the need to push for a new CIT campus at Tuggeranong
Guest Speakers: Tharwa Drive closures –
- Dr Mark Doverty and Karl Cloos from the Department spoke about the reasons for the recent Tharwa Drive Closure.
- T one 5 project – Town Planning students from University of Canberra and the Planning Institute of Australia who want to focus on community participation, particularly youth engagement, to improve the aesthetics of Tuggeranong and involve people in their surroundings. The project aims to achieve 5 projects in 2015 in the Tuggeranong area.
- Dr Karen McPherson spoke about Erindale Community Gardens – it will be a community gardens for community groups and not individuals.
Motion Proposed: TCC supports in principle and gets behind a campaign to look into another road access into the Lanyon Valley, as well as duplication of the relevant roads and to improve the traffic flow around intersections.
March Meesing
- Cleanup Australia day 35 people helped clean-up Lake Tuggeranong
- Attended ActewAGL Energy Reference Council – about proposed price reductions of regulator.
Guest speakers -.
- Lake Tuggeranong Water Quality Improvement Projects – guests from the Catchment management and Water Policy group spoke about the ACT Basin Priority Project.
- Government Housing Projects – Peter Johns spoke about new developments at Chisholm and Monash. As Canberra has the oldest public housing stock in Australia the government is in a process of a four year renewal of some of the older properties.
April Meeting
- I attended the launch of “trial floating reed beds” at Goodwin Village along with Beverley and Max Flint.
- Wayne King, Beverley Flint and I attended the Opening of new fire station in South Tuggeranong
Guest Speakers – ActewAGL Retail and Distribution – Paul Walshe spoke about the costs of electricity and gas distribution charges in the ACT. They spoke of demands of the regulator to reduce costs and the concerns about possible reduction in services
May Meeting
- I mentioned NCA talking of relinquishing responsibilities in some areas of the ACT which could result in the development of West Tuggeranong
- Issues in the Canberra Times Newspaper about Tuggeranong being the ‘fattest, laziest Canberra district”
- Concerns about development in East Greenway – South Section of Drakeford Drive/Mortimer Lewis Drive.
Guest Speakers:
- Asbestos Task Force
- Ashley Drive Ext – Consultant Mr Tristan Yeats and Department of Roads Mr Ben McHugh gave a comprehensive talk on the issues involved.
June Meeting :
- Cancer morning tea organised by the late Alison Ryan’s children Chloe and Liam in memory of their Mother who was an active TCC member and who unfortunately passed away last year.
- CIT campus promised for Tuggeranong next year.
- Master plan for Calwell developed.
- Our President Eric unfortunately passed away.
Guest Speakers :
- Heart Foundation – following Tuggeranong being called the Fattest laziest suburb, we invited the Heart Foundation to talk to us about how they collected their figures and what they mean – suggestions included people need to do more incidental exercise.
- Tara Costigan Uncle, Michael Costigan advised Council about the Tara Costigan Foundation –
- Woden Cemetery Upgrade – Tuggeranong cemetery will be delayed for at least another 10 years
July Meeting :
- Formation of the Activities and Events Sub committee of the TCC.
- Talks about the Tuggeranong Festival and Footsteps to Follow.
- Organised Park Bench as a memorial for Rusty Woodward.
Guest Speakers :
- Future planning in the ACT – a statement of intent – Minister Mick Gentleman. The Minister spoke on: Making Canberra healthy and smart, Growing the economy, Enhancing liveability and opportunity and Investing in Urban renewal. He spoke of Master Plans, public housing and better transport
- Hockey ACT – spoke about putting a child care centre in their facilities to help pay for future upgrades to their playing fields.
August Meeting :
- Public consultation meetings on possible solutions to solving problems of Lake Tuggeranong.
- Meeting with the Manager of the Hyperdome and the Tuggeranong and Region Business Forum.
Guest Speakers :
- Asbestos Taskforce update on some of the first demolitions, the first being in Wanniassa
- Tuggeranong Festival Director, Stewart Thompson spoke about the Festival activities to be held on 21 November.
I need to thank all the people who have made these meetings useful and interesting. The AFP who gives us a monthly rundown on crime statistics. Thank you, Sergeant Joanne Cameron.
Thanks to those who have been running the Sub-Committees: including Beverley on the Health and Community Sub Committee, Wayne on the Planning and Development Committee and Russell on the Transport Committee. Also to Max and Wayne who have been attending Combined Community Councils meetings with me. My thanks also to Fiona for taking the minutes.
To Gai Brodtmann and the Brindabella MLA’s, thank you for your regular attendance and keeping us up to date with all your activities. A big thank you to Honorary Auditor Roy Zacharias. Roy has been looking after us for seven years now and is always a great help.
Finally I would like to give thanks to our late President Eric Traise, for all the work he has done over the last few years. He has contributed significantly to the Tuggeranong community: talking to the Secretary of the Department of Social Services about the Department staying in Tuggeranong; beginning an awareness raising campaign on the Light rail issue and his work to ensure that the King Swimming Pool was build at Calwell. The whole Council acknowledges your contribution.
I would also like to thank our members who turn up each month and help us sort out the wheat from the chaff. And a big thanks to my committee who have given up their time because they, like me, believe the TCC makes a worthwhile contribution to the Tuggeranong community. A particular thanks to Wayne King, Max and Beverley Flint who have taken on a lot of extra responsibilities over the last year.
To finish off, I would also like to thank the Tuggeranong Southern Cross Club for allowing us to use this great Club for our meetings and the ACT Government who provides us with an annual grant so that we can run these meetings.
Glenys Patulny – Acting President, Tuggeranong Community Council