‘Fed-up’ residents demanding action

Kim Waters
A THOMSON community group has taken matters into its own hands following increasing accounts of hoon driving, vandalism and substance abuse in the area.
Residents of the eastern Geelong suburb contacted Geelong MP Ian Trezise earlier this year fearing “antisocial problem behaviour” would turn the area into “another Norlane or Corio”.
Mr Trezise called on State Government to support a Thomson Community Development Project last week in an attempt to “address” the suburb’s worsening problems with anti-social behaviour.
Thomson’s Janet Lonzarich said residents were “desperate” for help following widespread vandalism and substance abuse around the suburb.
“It all started about two years ago when someone started throwing rocks through windows and setting hedges alight,” she said.
“Since then the whole issue has just progressed and become worse and worse.
“People here don’t go outside and they don’t know their neighbours because they don’t want to leave their homes.
“We all know what happens in Norlane and Corio and we want to stop it here before it gets to that stage.”
Ms Lonzarich said residents had raised suggestions for the development plan in a series of meetings with Mr Trezise.
“People want things like a community garden, a play area for children, more trees planted and to use the buildings that are here,” she said.
“The football club is empty most of the time and we really want to set up events for youth there.
“The plan has received great support from the kinder, police, football club, senior citizens and the local schools.”
Mr Trezise said he believed authorities had failed to “effectively” deal with Thomson’s growing crime and behaviour problems.
He called on his State Government to provide “support” for the community development project.
“The residents and I came to the conclusion that dealing with these issues on an ad hoc or issue-by-issue basis was pretty ineffective,” Mr Trezise said.
“We want to build on the strengths of the area of Thomson and the various organisations within the neighbourhood, perhaps identifying weaknesses or what is missing in the area and for the community to come together to build a more-cohesive or better place in which to live.”