THE self-described “sustainable” Mornington Peninsula Shire has a neighbour that’s now officially known as the “sustainable city” – Frankston.
While the peninsula gave itself the title of sustainable, Frankston has been named Sustainable City of the Year by Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria.
Frankston earned its right to use sustainable through its 10-year plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve carbon neutrality by 2025.
Frankston has also pipped the peninsula on naming rights with the September 2014 opening of its $50 million Peninsula Aquatic Recreation Centre built close to the city’ central commercial area.
The shire has dropped its plans for a $44m Southern Peninsula Aquatic Centre on the foreshore at Rosebud, but remains committed, on paper at least, to a pool being built as part of the redevelopment of the Rosebud Central Shopping centre, which it bought in 2012.
Meanwhile, the peninsula’s latest crop of councillors (and a new CEO) last year voted to strip the shire of its sustainable tag, although the cost of replacing existing signs, stationary and vehicle liveries was seen as too expensive to replace overnight.
“Committed to a Sustainable Peninsula” remains ubiquitous throughout the shire and its website.
Peninsula residents are this month invited to “drop-in information sessions” to “have a say about Mornington Peninsula Shire Council’s carbon neutral options report and the Sustainable Peninsula symbol associated with the shire logo”.
They can also save fuel and time by completing an online survey by 7 July on the shire’s website www.mornpen.vic.gov.au under the YourSay tab.
The peninsula’s carbon neutral report lists ways of achieving carbon neutrality “to ensure council and its community reduces risks associated with climate change, lowers energy costs, and minimises impacts of shire activities”.
A council news releases says the move towards carbon neutrality “is an opportune time to review the Sustainable Peninsula symbol associated with the shire logo, and how it could be amended or removed to better reflect council’s future direction”. Unusually for the shire, no councillor, or officer was quoted in the release.
“The Sustainable Peninsula symbol was added to the shire’s logo in 2001 and reflects the social, environmental and economic elements of sustainability coming together on the Mornington Peninsula.”
The information sessions will be at:
Somerville Recreation and Community Centre, Edwards St, Somerville, 5.30–6.30pm Tuesday 23 June.
Meeting Room 2 – Rosebud Shire office, 90 Besgrove St, Rosebud, 6-7pm Wednesday 24 June.
Mornington Library Meeting Room, 2 Queen St, Mornington, 5.30–6.30pm Thursday 25th June.
Residents can also make verbal submissions at the Tuesday 14 July Forward Planning Committee Meeting which starts at 5pm at the Rosebud council chambers, call Linda Yorke on 5950 1000.
Shire officer are also available to speak to community groups or committees, call Jess Wingad on 5950 1000.
First published in the Western Port News – 16 June 2015
