A COLLECTOR of vintage memorabilia hopes a place can be found in Mentone for part of a huge sign bought online that turned out to be too big to handle. Self-described “minimalist hoarder” Stella Chivers snapped up part of the sign displayed at the former Mentone Tenpin Bowl Club before its demolition in 2013 to make way for a controversial towering apartment block at Mentone Junction. The only problem? The vintage enthusiast does not have enough room to display the sign. A restaurant in Port Melbourne bought the words ‘Tenpin’ and ‘Bowl’ at auction alongside a large bowling bowl that…
Author: Neil Walker
A NEW era of “cooperation” between the state government and councils across Melbourne’s suburbs has been heralded with the formation of six metropolitan partnerships by the government. The groups are “a new platform for cooperative engagement between governments, business and communities” according to Labor Suburban Development Minister Lily D’Ambrosio. A Southern Partnership representing Kingston, Frankston, Mornington Peninsula Shire, Casey, Dandenong and Greater Dandenong councils appointed Dr Elizabeth Deveny as chair this month. Dr Deveny is CEO of the South Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network. South East Local Learning and Employment Network CEO Andrew Simmons has been appointed deputy chair. Kingston…
A PUSH against pokies is being planned in the lead up to next year’s state election by a group trying to enlist councils to the anti-pokies cause. The Alliance for Gambling Reform wants councils to support a campaign calling on both sides of politics in the lead up to next year’s state election to act on pokies reform. Alliance media and communications advisor Stephen Mayne addressed Kingston Council at a public meeting to hear council budget submissions last week. He asked council to get behind the campaign to rein in pokies losses by joining the group as a “tier one”…
A GARDENER at Mt Eliza’s Peninsula School unwittingly set comedian Sammy J off a planned legal career garden path and into a world of adventure and justice dispensed by The Phantom comic book character. A path leading to an escape from a legal career after ditching law degree studies at university for full-time comedy capers. A path that would ultimately see Sammy J “commit a crime in Canberra” and break the law he previously swore to study. A path that would lead the comedian to become obsessed with “one of the least popular superheroes in the world”. The ghost who…
FIVE board members of a company set up by Frankston Council to manage the Peninsula Aquatic Recreation Centre are collectively paid $116,149 each year. Frankston mayor Cr Brian Cunial confirmed last week in response to questions from The Times that Peninsula Leisure Pty Ltd chair Roseanne Healy receives $33,185 and four directors sitting on the board are paid $20,741 annually. Frankston councillors voted 5-3 at last month’s public council meeting to instruct Peninsula Leisure directors “not to enter into or tender for projects outside their core obligation, that being the management of PARC and the Pines pool”. Peninsula Leisure was…