A STATE election pledge aimed at improving amenity in Sebastopol has got its first firm announcements with plans to plant more trees, improve the Yarrawee River Trail, and set up a community consultation group.<\/p>\n
Back in September 2018, then candidate, now Member for Buninyong, Michaela Settle offered up $5 million for a range of projects aimed at improving the suburb.<\/p>\n
Now she\u2019s revealed where about 30 per cent of that money will go, through a program known as Spotlight on Sebastopol.<\/p>\n
\u201cDoor knocking and talking to lots of locals, people just really felt Sebastopol had been left behind,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe really special thing about Spotlight on Sebastopol is that the community has always been at the heart of it. We decided it was going to be community led, what the community wanted.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have this fantastic community reference group. We had some open days to see what people would like done.\u201d<\/p>\n
As part of the plans revealed last week $1.1 million will be spent on upgrades to the Yarrawee River Trail including pathway fixes and outdoor furniture.<\/p>\n
A further $500,000 will be spent on tree planting in Sebastopol, addressing a shortfall in the current green canopy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe urban forest plan is very exciting,\u201d Ms Settle said. \u201cThe City of Ballarat did an audit of trees\u2026 and they found that Sebastopol was really low in tree canopy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe best practice is something like a 40 per cent canopy and that just hasn\u2019t been here.\u201d<\/p>\n
While the City of Ballarat will conduct the works by the river and planting the trees, mayor Cr Daniel Moloney said the municipality\u2019s current tree planting plans wouldn\u2019t be scaled back in the area.<\/p>\n
\u201cA couple of years ago the heavy focus was in Wendouree, a couple of thousand trees there. There\u2019s been a couple of thousand now rolled out in Sebastopol with more still to come,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
With the State Government setting in to fund the projects, Cr Moloney acknowledged the City had dropped the ball in some parts of the municipality.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not afraid to say that there are areas like Sebastopol, Wendouree and Delacombe that have been under invested in for years,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s great to see we\u2019re catching up on these things.\u201d<\/p>\n
The final project announced as part of the program is a plan to be known as Connecting Sebastopol and funded to the tune of $150,000.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to be run out of the Neighbourhood Centre and it\u2019s really about trying to create a working community group,\u201d Ms Settle said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019ll be elements to it. Newsletters, a website or Facebook portals, but all trying to get community groups together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cr Moloney welcomed the announcement of the Connecting Sebastopol program and said the group would still be important, even after the State funds ran out.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere hasn\u2019t been that strong residential voice,\u201d he said. \u201cForming a Sebastopol community association\u2026 is critical to make sure people in Sebas start making decisions about Sebas.\u201d<\/p>\n
The City of Ballarat will undertake the capital works projects with planting and improvements expected to start soon.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A STATE election pledge aimed at improving amenity in Sebastopol has got its first firm announcements with plans to plant more trees, improve the Yarrawee River Trail, and set up a community consultation group. Back in September 2018, then candidate, now Member for Buninyong, Michaela Settle offered up $5 million for a range of projects […]<\/p>\n