By Cr Daria Kellander
One of the most rewarding parts of being a councillor is being able to advocate for people.
Not every issue is something that affects the whole municipality, the entire ward or even a whole suburb.
Sometimes you might have an issue that affects only your street, or just you. That’s what local representation is all about. It’s about having an avenue to have your voice heard.
Last August, I tabled a joint letter to council on behalf of residents in Ryan Lane, Altona.
Their residential road was in extremely poor condition and flooded with the slightest rain.
They wanted the full length of the road sealed and to have drainage issues fixed. They had been asking council for this for decades.
I supported their ask as I’m a big advocate for council delivering on the basics, so I’m really pleased that these works have now finally been completed.
It might not be something that affects you, but it was an issue that meant a lot to the residents of Ryan Lane, and having these works completed significantly improves their day-to-day lives.
Works have also been completed at HC Kim Reserve in Seaholme, giving Altona City Soccer Club and the local community great new facilities.
There’s a new pavilion for the club to enjoy, including change rooms, referee facilities, first aid room, storage, a social space, and kitchen; and there were works done to the three pitches.
These sorts of upgrades are important for our local clubs, which are great community hubs.
We need good facilities to provide more opportunities for our children to get involved in local sports, and to ensure our sports clubs are inviting places to join and be part of.
Lastly, I wanted to mention that works have begun at Altona Beach as part of a project to integrate the beach entry with a more pedestrian-friendly area.
These works will be paused during summer so there’s no disruption to people enjoying the area, which I’m sure will be even more popular with the new pier when the weather finally warms up.
