Author: Brodie Cowburn

A FIRE broke out at the McClelland Gallery and Sculpture Park last week. Just after 6pm on 17 November, an alert was issued about a grass fire on McClelland Drive. Firefighters attended and the area was given the all clear just after 9.30pm. Nobody was injured. The Frankston Lapidary Club building was damaged by the blaze. McClelland Gallery director Lisa Byrne said that the fire has been ruled accidental. Three FRV pumpers and five CFA tankers attended the blaze. Victoria Police and Ambulance Victoria also arrived on the scene to help. A statement on the Langwarrin Fire brigade Facebook page…

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FRANKSTON has a new mayor. Cr Nathan Conroy, a first time councillor, was unanimously elected mayor at a public meeting last Thursday. Cr Conroy was elected to council at the 2020 local government elections. He received more than double the first preference votes than the next candidate in his ward. The 2021/2022 mayoral term shapes as an integral one, with both a federal and state election expected in the next 12 months. The year will be a test of the new mayor’s advocacy skills. After his election, Cr Conroy said “I want to let you all know, each and every…

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DOGS will finally be welcome in Frankston’s city centre from January 2022. Frankston Council has long been debating the dog ban, which prohibits dogs from being in the area bordered by Davey Street, Kananook Creek, and Fletcher Road. Last week the ban was finally abolished. Dogs will be required to be on-leash while in the city centre. The completed review of council’s animal orders will also see a dedicated dog beach set up at Keast Park in Seaford. Councillors had considered making the beach area at Oliver’s Hill a dedicated dog beach, but ultimately decided for the Seaford option instead.…

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AN announcement about car parking at Kananook Station is expected soon. Frankston Council has put in a $22 million request to the federal government to build the car park. The Times understands that a site compulsorily acquired by council near the Frankston Basketball Stadium will be offered to build the car park on. The federal government broke a promise to build more car parking at Seaford and Kananook Stations earlier this year. Before the 2019 election it pledged to build the car parks but by May 2021, both projects were abandoned (“Scrapped car park plans a broken promise” The Times…

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A PROPOSAL to build a childcare centre on Overport Road has been rejected. Developer ASL had applied to build a childcare centre at 137 Overport Road. The plan angered residents, with 279 objections submitted to council. Last week Frankston councillors unanimously voted to reject a permit for the developer. The decision defied the recommendation of council officers to approve the permit. The developer had previously applied for a permit to build a childcare centre on the site, which was rejected at VCAT. Council officers wrote that the new amended plans were “considered consistent with the neighbourhood character policy, significant landscape…

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