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EMERGENCY 000
Prahran Police
9520 5200
Prahran CIU
9520 5216
Neighbourhood Watch
Police 9529 7658
Crime Prevention
Officer 9529 2592
CRIMESTOPPERS
1800 333000
Lifeline (24 hrs)
131 114
Crisis Line (24 hrs)
9329 0300
Gambling Help
1800 156789
Sexual Assault
9344 2210
Domestic Violence
9387 9155
Poisons Information
131 126
State Emergency Service
9696 6111
Victims Assistance
9603 9797
Suicide Help
1300 651251
Faulty Street Lights
131 280
Traffic Signal Faults
131 170
Graffiti Hotline
1800 067 072

Residents Co-ordinator
9827 6931
Email:
stn1nhw@yahoo.com.au

The Information Neighbourhood Footpath - is this the natural extension of the Information Superhighway
I CONNECTED to the internet about two years ago. It was quite a revelation.
I've had a computer for 15 years, but suddenly a whole new world of information and communication was at my finger tips - email, newsgroups, and web sites by the million. It seemed that every man and his dog had a web site. And some dogs had their own web sites!

I recall that soon after I got on the net I happened upon a Community Policing newsgroup. There was a message from a Police Officer in a small town in Texas asking for advice on how to set up a Neighbourhood Watch group. So I sent off a reply suggesting that he take a look at the Victoria Police Neighbourhood Watch web site where he would find a manual which explained the process.

It was a good feeling that, sitting in my home in South Yarra, I could be of assistance to a lone Police Officer in a small rural community half way around the world. Such is the nature of today's communication technology.

This memory of my first encounter with the "Information Superhighway" occurred when I was thinking about the concept of community and how it has evolved over time.

Originally community referred to a group of people living in a particular geographical location. But numerous changes in transport and communications systems has resulted in a society today in which we can be members of various communities:

- the extended family;
- the work place;
- special interest groups;
- the local neighbourhood.

The internet now provides the means to become members of "virtual communities" - a geographical dispersed group which communicates through newsgroups, email and chat rooms.

Our involvement with these other communities has resulted in the lessening of our bonds with our local community - the neighbourhood.

For many people the neighbourhood is little more than the strip of bitumen which connects the driveway to family, friends and work.
If your primary means of transport is the family car, and you never walk around local streets, then your chances of interacting with neighbours and your sense of neighbourhood is diminished.

Is it possible to reverse this trend of isolation from our neighbours?
If we can use the "Information Superhighway" to communicate with people on the other side of the world, could we also use that same technology to increase discussion and deliberation with our neighbours across the street. Can we extend the "Information Superhighway" to the "Information Neighbourhood Footpath"?

Would you be interested in revitalising the sense of neighbourhood by joining a local newsgroup forum where you could perhaps:

- Discuss local issues;
- Provide information to questions from neighbours;
- Ask a question of your local councillor;
- Receive updated information on local crimes;
- Post a notice of your missing cat.

What do you think? Is this cloud cuckoo land or something you would like to see. If you would like to be involved in setting up a newsgroup, or have any ideas or suggestions please email me at stn1nhw@yahoo.com.au
or phone 9827 6931.

The 50 km/h Speed Limit
The 50km/h speed limit operates as a default system, meaning that if there is no sign, it's 50 km/h. Streets which have a 50 km/h speed limit are not marked with speed signs and are automatically subject to the 50 km/h limit.

Streets where the speed limit is higher or lower than 50 km/h are signed in the normal way. If in doubt, motorists are urged to remember, if there's no sign, it's 50 km/h

Get down and get dirty
Did you know that South Yarra has its very own Island. Just across the road from Como Park on Alexandra Avenue in the Yarra River is Herring Island.

The Island contains indigenous vegetation, and provides important habitat for native fauna, particularly birds. Herring Island is an important recreational resource which provides opportunities for nature study, passive recreation and adventure play.

The Friends Of Herring Island are having plant maintenance days, weeding around the native shrubs and grasses on Sunday June 2 and July 7. You are invited to come along and help transform Herring Island. Please bring along a tool for planting (e.g. trowel, small spade, small mattock.)

A ferry will leave Como landing on Alexandra Ave., (Melways 58 G2), regularly between 10 am and 3 pm.
For more info. - Damian Curtain 9428 8620

Graffiti program update
At THE request of Neighbourhood Watch, Simon Mikedis from Stonnington Council has provided this summary of the current status of the Stonnington graffiti management program:

Council has set up a freecall Graffiti Hotline (1800 067 072) that can be used to report graffiti or seek advice. This phone is currently operational during business hours with a message service operating other times;

A free Graffiti Removal Kit is available for properties with an identified graffiti problem in Stonnignton. The Kit contains a 500ml pump spray graffiti remover, goggles, disposable gloves, breathing mask, scourer, cloth and material Safety Data Sheet. A permission slip is required to be completed by the Property owner prior to delivery of the Kit;

Discounted professional graffiti removal is available to Stonnington residents through a contractor, John Rowlands (Ph: 0412 952 646). Mr. Rowlands is also able to provide free advice and quotes on graffiti coatings and other removal and preventative measures.

Council has also just completed a trial program in two pilot areas which incorporated limited free clean ups on private property. The Program that is undergoing evaluation involved contractors patrolling and reporting all instances of graffiti within the Pilot Areas, then contacting the property owners of afflicted properties, gaining signed permission, and removing the graffiti. It is anticipated that the Program will be continued in an extended form in the new Financial Year.

43 Shopping trolleys impounded by Stonnington Council
Following last month's article concerning abandoned shopping trolleys in local streets, the Manager of Compliance and Response at Stonnington Council, Mr Bernard Mulholland, provided Neighbourhood Watch with the following statement:

"I would advise that Council has a very active programme for the removal of shopping trolley abandoned by shoppers within the municipality. This programme has been further refined since my address to the Retail Traders Association of Victoria late last year and the implementation of improved processes for transmitting information to the RTAV for the collection of abandoned trolleys.

Your readers should be aware that this notification process is in addition to their routine sweep of their areas which occurs on a daily basis.

The notification process is simple. Residents and Council staff who observe an abandoned trolley advise Council on 8290-1333 where the information is recorded on a schedule which is electronically transmitted to the RTAV for distribution to the collection agencies. The schedule which is forwarded at the end of each day is for 'next day' collection. The schedule is also given to Council's Rapid Response Officers for inspection of the location on the day following when any remaining trolley is impounded. Council has 43 trolleys impounded at this moment.

Please be aware that the RTAV requested Council grant 48hours following the receipt of the schedule to have the collection agencies remove the abandoned trolley. I stated on the community's behalf, that we would not agree to this delay and only 24hours leeway would be granted. It should also be noted that the payment of the impoundment fee which is $100 per trolley, is paid by the collection agency and not the supermarket.

Since this process has been in place, the level of co-operation with the collection agencies has increased markedly. The RTAV have congratulated Stonnington on its proactive approach to this problem.

Your readers should also be aware that Council conducts 'block inspections' of the municipality on a regular basis in order that every street within the municipality is inspected for a list of items including abandoned trolleys.

This proactive inspection programme has the result of dealing with many issues before local residents become aware of the matter. It also ensure that residents who are not aware of 'who is responsible for what' will have matters attended to without concern."

Next Meeting
The next Neighbourhood Watch meeting will be on:
Tuesday July 2, 2002
The meeting will be held at 7.45pm at the Prahran Police Complex 398 Malvern Road