As previously advised, the College has lodged a Development Application with the Town of Victoria Park for the use of block 20 Teague Street to enable our builder, EMCO, to use this space as overflow parking for safer roads for College patrons and local residents.  This would be a temporary solution only, for the duration of the build, to allow for safer traffic flow around the College.

On Tuesday evening, members of the College Executive Leadership Team attended the Elected Members Briefing Session (EMBS) at the council chambers.  This afforded an opportunity for the College to prosecute the case in support of our proposal and to answer questions from the Councillors.

This meeting also afforded an opportunity to ‘set the record straight’ with regards to our land acquisitions on Teague Street by addressing false assumptions and deliberate misrepresentations of matters on the public record that have been posited by a few of our neighbours.  While I am an advocate of robust and respectful debate about civic matters, at times it appears that some who have a counter view to the College demonstrate a propensity to advocate from an emotive disposition while proffering inconsistent and, at times, fallacious arguments in an attempt to be the loudest voice rather than the most reasoned and reasonable.

The idea to use 20 Teague Street for overflow parking is not a new one and not without precedent with the Town of Victoria Park.  During the construction phase of our building project there may be a need, from time to time, to provide parking for the builder that is additional to that provided for within the scope of the building approval.  For example, last week a crane was required on site which necessitated the clearance of a number of vehicles for safety reasons.  

It should also be noted, that the application before the Council has been listed as recommended for approval, subject to conditions on the basis that the use of the land is for temporary parking purposes for the duration of the construction in order to remove some parking and traffic pressures that will occur in Teague Street during this phase and preserve residential amenity. Once the temporary parking is no longer required we will seek to transform 20/22 Teague Street into additional green space for the College.

This matter will be brought forward at the next meeting of the Council on Tuesday 13 March 2018 and it is hoped that common-sense prevails.

The College’s Development Application in relation to the greening of 28/30 Teague Street is due for Council consideration at their April meeting.  As such, I will keep the community updated as these processes unfold.

 

With regards and best wishes

Geoff Mills
Principal