Committee for Chairman: A word from the Chairman

Within a fortnight of the Annual General Meeting of the Committee for Lorne and only days until the New Year, we have already been actively involved in multiple productive community discussions.

The first, with Great Ocean Road Coast Committee (GORCC) Chair, Ken Northwood and CEO Vanessa Schernickau, was the Point Grey end of year update.

In has been a great initiative to reconvene the original Project Steering Group, and the more recently formed Creative Council, following the lodgment of the planning application with the Surf Coast Shire for the Point Grey precinct. Community representatives are again actively involved in the process. Following on from the “out of left field” funding announcement for the precinct it seems there is still much work to be done.

Our GORCC representatives explained how they are still awaiting directives as to whom will be the custodian of the funding, and an indication of the timing of the funding. Unfortunately, it’s just not a case of GORRC and Lorne Aquatic and Angling Club (LAAC) taking receipt of their promised funds and progressing with the project.

To make matters even more complicated, is the knowledge of the upcoming Federal election and the impending new management model for the Great Ocean Road as recommended in the findings of the Great Ocean Road Task Force. With the Department of Land, Water, Environment, and Planning (DELWP) yet to approve the increased size of the LAAC building and the Surf Coast Shire looking to go through the normal planning processes it’s hard to foresee too much activity on site over the next 12 months.

In the meantime, it was great to review the Creative, Heritage and Culture Plan – Meeting Point, as prepared by consultants Andrew Bleby and Associates for consideration by our Community. Albeit too detailed to elaborate on in this column, it is a great step forward in providing the solution to the missing “third component” of the precinct to ensure our past is well preserved. Stay tuned!

At a time of the year when gifts and surprises are a welcome theme among friends and family the Lorne Community also received a surprise, unfortunately not a very nice one! What has risen from our beautiful foreshore landscape is an ugly, albeit needed somewhere, shelter structure at our local skate park. To have this “airborne”, out of character structure, obliterate the visual attraction of our beachfront is a disgrace, and one that nobody seems to know about.

My first thought – “what has GORRC done to us at a time when our working relationship has never been better and their very tasteful work at Anzac Park outstanding” – how could this be? When I dug further, I was soon to realise the Lorne
Skate Park and immediate surrounds didn’t come under the jurisdiction and management of GORCC. Not sure how this has slipped through the cracks but rest assured we will find out and be seeking urgent remedial action!

Season’s greetings and may 2019 be prosperous for all!

Ian Stewart
Chairman – Committee for Lorne