AN impasse over the visibility of Mentone’s iconic Nylex electronic clock shows no sign of being resolved any time soon.
The Nylex sign at the former moulded plastics factory has been partially hidden from sight by a large Bunnings advertising board making it difficult to see when travelling outbound from Melbourne on the Nepean Hwy.
Mentone Parkdale Village Committee has spent months trying to convince council to act to make the Nylex sign visible again.
Committee member Dorothy Booth said it was “beyond belief” that Bunnings had erected a large sign directly in front of the Nylex clock, despite it being covered by a heritage overlay in the Kingston Planning Scheme.
“The sign was a marker for people coming home from work in years gone by and it once again can be an icon and marker,” Ms Booth said.
Ms Booth hoped Bunnings would value its “good corporate citizen reputation” and urged councillors to meet with directors of the company to resolve
She said the Mordialloc District Historical Society had sent a letter to Bunnings about the sign but “it seemed to have been completely ignored”.
Councillors voted to discuss the matter with Wesfarmers, the owners of Bunnings. Cr Geoff Gledhill noted the Nylex sign is on land owned by Bunnings.
Kingston Council CEO Paul Franklin previously told The News council would work with the “sign owners” to try to resolve the situation (‘Clear sign for Nylex future’, The News, 18/12/13).
Council has no statutory power to order the alteration or removal of the Bunnings signs since they are not within the heritage protected area.
