Sustainable Streets Initiative

By now, everybody should know the game of "monopoly". A game where players try to collect as much realestate as possible, build homes and hopefully a hotel. It's a game that both adults and children alike enjoy.

The Sustainable Streets Initiative is about taking this concept, and modifying it to suit the sustainbility cause. It's a grass roots movement amongst neighbours whereby, residents in a street "collect" sustainable items such as rainwater tanks, solar PV panels, and other sustainable features. These items would attract points, and once enough points are collected, would allow streets to be awarded special "sustainability street" signs by the council. (No doubt this will increase land values on the street.)

The goal is not about keeping up with the Jones' as such, although that would be a great outcome for the environment, rather it's hoped that this would encourage neighbours to talk to each other and see what part each can do. We've seen great initiatives in the past whereby residents have grouped together to increase their purchasing parity when buying PV panels. Let's hope more of these outcomes come about because of this.

Local councils, it's time to create the rules and get people on board!

Doncaster to Burwood tram proposal

Doncaster residents may have to give up on their dreams of a train line to the city, and settle for a tram line to Box Hill, where they can catch an express into town. This will bring Doncaster out of isolation for many Melbourne commuters that don't want to navigate the slow bus system.

The proposed tram line would start at Westfield Doncaster shopping centre, and run down tram rd/Station st to Deakin Burwood campus.

It is hoped that this would encourage further medium density development along the new transport corridor. Aswell as this, cement Box Hill's place as a major transport hub.

Local considerations for Nunawading station upgrade

The premier recently announced the long overdue grade seperation of train tracks at springvale rd nunawading and relocation of nunawading station to the west of springvale rd. Apparently the grade seperation is due to finish 2010, but the station upgrade hopefully is still up in the air. Hopefully, some more thought into its design, especially feedback from the local community is considered before the station upgrade is implemented. (I don't want them to try to rush the implementation just to get some election kudos.)

Here's my top 3 considerations:

1) Passenger distribution. The station entrance is at the head for trains deperating towards Flinder st, and at the tail for trains from Belgrave to Lilydale. Will this be mirrored if they move the station west side? Or will the station entrance be placed in a different location. Designers need to condsider the impact on the distribution of passengers getting on a nunawading, and also downstream in stations like Blackburn and Box Hill. Overcrowding in certain carriages could be a potential fallout.

2) Shops and ammenities such as the milk bar, bakery will need to "moved" or replaced. It's a no brainer that car parking and bus stops must be replaced, but other amenities must be considered in the interest of passenger convenience. Obviously this must be co-ordinated with better links to the existing shops, the nearby community centre and the christian school closeby.

3) Redevelopment of the existing nunawading station and shops. With the tracks going under, it's a great opportunity to create a new block of land. A square or community area could be built, creating a new "Nunwading Central". The basis for this is obviously Box Hill.