Thursday, December 15, 2011

James Hargest school Zone

Here is a link to an article in The Eye yesterday, drawing attention to the fact that Glengarry is excluded from the JHC school zone.
http://fairfaxmedia.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/iphone/homepage.aspx#_title185220111215000000000010015/watitle185220111215000000000010015/1852/18522011121500000000001001/5/true

I am interested on feedback on this issue, many people I have spoken to are very surprised at the exclusion. During our community consultation this issue was identified as our fourth highest priority. It seems clear that this is discrimination and it reinforces the negative stigma that Glengarry has in the wider community.

Last week I was speaking with one of the BCL contractors who is currently working in the Glengarry area. She said to me that she was surprised at how nice the area was and how safe their gear was, she had always thought Glengarry was a bit of a rough area but now doesn't know why people think that, it's a great community.

This is just one example of the stigma that Glengarry has to deal with. It's reinforced by a number of things and the James Hargest School zne exclusion is one of them. If people want to see for themselves what a great community we have they should come along to our Community Market. The last one for the year is on tomorrow, Sat 17th Dec 9.30-12.30 in the Yarrow St car park of the shopping centre or Eastside Baptist if it's wet.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Community feedback

Hi Everyone
We have been gathering feedback from people about the proposed Yarrow St car park and general thoughts about the Glengarry area.

Below is a link to the Glengarry Action Group facebook page http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/188113074607799/ I have posted the concept plans for the car park on here (scroll down to Dec 8 to see them).

The feedback we gathered is from the Market on Sat 3 Dec and the Community BBQ on Sat 10 Dec. Eastern Suburbs Tavern kindly supplied the sausages for the BBQ & ArchDraught the BBQ, bread and sauce etc. Thanks for your support. Thanks also to those who helped with buttering bread and gathering feedback - Peter, Chris and Richard. We had a lovely day for the BBQ and were able to give out sausages to all the people and kids playing in the playground and people wandering by. It was great to see lots of people bring a picnic or fish n chips over to sit with us and to engage with some new people about Glengarry. The feedback from both events is below.

We are keen for more feedback so if you could email me or post on the Facebook page that would be great.

Also we are having a fundraising art activity for kids in the Art Space on Wed 21 and Thurs 22 Dec 10am-11.30am. Kids will have the opportunity to make Christmas decorations with Caroline Holmes. The cost is $10 for both sessions and discounted for second and third children. Please pass this information on. All proceeds will go towards the Glengarry Community Art Project.

And the last Community Market for 2011 will be this Saturday 17 Dec 9,30-12.30. The market is really evolving into a great event. People comment about the great atmosphere, great range of things available to buy and great people. Thanks to those of you have supported the market this year.

Finally we would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and hope you all have a great start to 2012. And thank you for all your input this year - it is appreciated and will go a long way to supporting the improvements we have planned for the area.

We will be back in the new year doing more things to raise the profile of Glengarry and to build on the community spirit of the area. We welcome suggestions, thoughts and ideas so please do get in touch. Please also pass this information on to others who may be interested.
Merry Chirstmas!
Regards
Becs

Here is the feedback we gathered at the Market on Sat 3 Dec about Glengarry:
Market is choice! Keep it going here. I love Glengarry community spirit.
More shops in the area to be opened up.
A better playground for the kids, skateboard park too.
Bring back the old style of shopping - like the books hsop. Find a unique niche.
Community area, kids creative, movement, culture.
Open another supermarket
The Glengarry market is a really good one, friendly people, good spirit, People who organise it have the right sense.
Great. Lovely market, reasonable boot fee, nice friendly vendors.
Congrats for your efforts on what I'd call a lost cause.
Cash in on Glengarry's proximity to the entrace of the city.
Contact landlords & suggest that empty and abandoned shops are unacceptable.
A skate park area fo rthe kids.
Make it more welcoming. Love the tree and lan ideas. Family orientated.
More green spaces to encourage people to sit.
Very nice. Keep going. Good luck.
Have all the shops open and have a community centre.
Outdoor plays, story telling classes for children.
More community activities.
A great improvement!
Food market like the one at SBHS.
The market is really good & I will come again.
Market is a great idea and very well organised.
Have lived here for 48 years, wouldn't change a thing about Glnegarry, Love the area and love the people.
I like coming here every day.
Good luck for the future.
Pot holes in the car park. Good - the poeple, so colourful and beautiful. Market!
Love the plan. Good to see great seating areas, grass and love the colour scheme. Very inviting & looks alive.
Its nice to see this going - market.
Need more of the shops filled. Trees and planting to make the place more colourful. Maybe paint to brighten up the shopping centre and surrounds.
I don't have any ideas but Glnegarry is not as bad as people make out, I would live here.
I like the people and nice community feel of Glengarry.
Peoplpe orientated community. Totally fabulous initiative.
Expand the already growning market days til it becomes HUGE!!
He wahi pai mo te whakatipu tamariki e pai ana te whakatu tenei tu momo mahii he hapai te hapori. (Would appreciate a translation if anyone can help with this).


Some thoughts from the Community BBQ on Sat 10 Dec:
Loved the colour in the car park plan - 2
Want a supremarket back in the area - 17
Like the trees in the car park plan - 3
Would like a coffee shop, bakery, place to buy home baking - 8
Speed bumps - 9
Lighting for the car park
Shade for the playground
Water fountain in the playground
Climbing frame in the playground.
Everything that is on the list of things that could be done.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

First impression plans & Community BBQ

Here is a link to the Glengarry Action group Facebook page where we have just uploaded some concept plans for the Yarrow St car park of the Glengarry Shopping Centre. This will enhance the first impression of the area greatly and help encourage people to come to the shopping centre and make it a more inviting place to visit.
Please add your thoughts and comments.
http://www.facebook.com/groups/188113074607799/
And don't forget to come along to our Community BBQ on Sat 10th Dec, 11.30-1.30pm in the playground of the shopping centre. Sausages kindly supplied by Eastern Suburbs Tavern, you just need to bring a picnic and your family.
Hope to see you there.