12 November Newsletter Friends of Eaglemont Village
This is a fine sketch of several Dogs of Eaglemont cavorting outside Aniseed Cafe.
Marcus has provided us a copy of a sketch by Tina, depicting cafe society Eaglemont Village style.
Plenty of dogs, plenty of children with parents or grandparents, plenty of waving to acquaintances, and conversation over coffee.
That's how we like it.
Good Work Don & Sally
Up near the Odenwald & Alandale segment of our bushland wildflower walks we have some regular contributors doing their bit and more to improve our neighbourhood.
Bev heads over and tidies things up - health and diary permitting.
Brett seems to have misplaced the mattock but weeds, prunes & mows regularly - work permitting.
Recently Don and Sally have taken up the challenge of progressing the tasks still to be done despite many local and visitors' working bees.
Don asked for a site meeting to review "the master plan" to ensure he and Sally were working within the long term objectives of the community.
I met with Don and Sally last Saturday.
They have done so much - a cotoneaster removed, pruning, weeding and generally tidying up between the cutting and the road edge.
Sally said they were surprised to find so many young trees and shrubs planted by FofEV over the past few years hidden among the tall weeds.
I took a weed spray unit with me to tackle the ever-present kikuyu and couch that is rampant in the area.
Some saplings - including 4 Acacia implexa from Warren - were handed over.
Don pointed out that a local citizen (anonymous) has again acted to cut back the branches of trees on the eastern side of the Odenwald bridge to improve vision and hence pedestrian & vehicle safety.
Well done all concerned.
Ivan & Noel Re-visited
Our ever vigilant Nilss has turned up a reference to the disposal by auction of the collected object d'art and furniture of Ivan and Noel.
Many will remember the pottery jugs and figurines that adorned the steel beam running across the IGA store ceiling.
Outdoor Dining Tragedy
At the Ward Meeting on 2 November a participant raised concerns about the likelihood of a vehicle accident impacting outdoor diners on Upper Heidelberg Road, Ivanhoe.
Frequently us Eaglemont cafe habituès note the benefits of the slow one-way vehicle traffic in Silverdale Road - quieter, safer, more sociable.
The footpath dining has generally proved very popular with most traders and their patrons. It was introduced as covid era assistance to the hospitality industry.
The flimsy "barriers" separating diners and traffic was pointed to at the Ward Meeting as an foresee-able risk of injury to diners.
I am told that only a couple of years back a minor vehicle collision on Upper Heidelberg Road resulted in one vehicle the crossing the northern footpath and impacting one of the then two kebab shops.
In some locations large concrete planter boxes have been strategically placed to stop out-of-control vehicles crashing through the perimeter fencing.
In reality these perimeter fences do little more than define trading zones and carry advertising.
Sadly within a few days of the Ward Meeting a tragic accident at Daylesford has claimed the lives of 5 people in a similar outdoor roadside dining facility.
Local Traffic Chaos
6:09 Wednesday 12th November vehicles wanting to cross the railway line at Marshall Street were backed up along Norman Street to the Uniting Church in Seddon Street.
Nostalgia from Nilss
The mention of the Heidelberg Baby Health Centre in our recent post about Council dealings with the land at #1 Stradbroke sent Nilss on a quest for early references.....
It looks rather forlorn nowadays as a document storage facility.
No more the pride, excitement and social contacts of young mothers stepping out with prams and hand-crocheted baby shawls.
Member discussion