Dale commenced formally as our new full-time building manager this past week. Dale comes with extensive experience and particularly electrical engineering experience. Please be patient, as Willsmere is probably the most complex place to manage . We have met with Dale and his company MBM, to ensure that there needs to be do a big uplift on clear, published maintenance planning.
Peter left us on the 23rd, and we had a morning tea to thank him. We acknowledged his service with a present and wished him all the best for his retirement.
We are in final stages of the next contract phase for OC management. As the new CoM member, I have been surprised that a number of long-term issues remain or dropped off. These were not clear or published in a manner that allowed the CoM to manage effectively across multiple years. There must be a significant improvement in OC management, issues follow-up, forward planning and publishing progress. From my viewpoint, it is unacceptable that volunteer CoM members who change-over year on year need to remember or uncover what has been done (or not done) before or what needs to be done month by month. Equally, it’s important that such information is published to our community and kept up to date.
As advised, planning for the 17/12/2023 community Christmas party is continuing. Reminder of logistics:
We understand and share the frustration with gate #1. MICM has sourced another company as the current contractor has become unreliable. The repair & replacement should be complete by 9 December. The new company will also provide us a quarterly regular maintenance schedule.
As mentioned elsewhere, the surface grinding was not effective on all areas. We have the rubberised coating experts coming to quote, and will seek to have it done as soon as possible. The shelter posts will also be treated to deal with rusting and ensure it remains safe. In the medium-longer term, we also need to re-treat the pool surfaces to eliminate flaking which is reducing the effectiveness of the automatic cleaner. With the long term maintenance plan being finalised, we should have a better understanding of full replacement costs for pool and surrounds and timing.
Diane Leist has tendered her resignation from the CoM earlier in October. The CoM, on behalf of our community, thanks Diane for her service.
MICM needs to provide an update to the CoM so that in-turn, we can update our community. In a related matter, we have been working with electrical engineers on what would be required to upgrade our power supply network to 3-phase power. This would then allow future HWU, solar power and fully electric households to be sustainable. Without this work, we cannot prepare for the future and make our system fit-for-purpose.
We have sought final advice from the MICM compliance team on disabled access across our site. There are complexities related to impacts on heritage values, along with other logistic and cost considerations.
Our 2 drop in kid-led design days went well, and the draft ideas are being developed. Once in a good form, these will be shared with the community. After we have a better sense of the options, we will undertake more detailed consultation with the community and planning.
Willsmere is located at 1 Wiltshire Drive Kew VIC 3101. Visitor access is via Yarra Boulevard.