Courts free
Two disused netball courts at Ocean Grove will become free land to house people with disabilities, Geelong’s council has announced.
Councillors voted this week to seek expressions of interest from not-for-profit agencies to develop supported disability accommodation on the site, which some residents had wanted kept as public open space.
Condolence books
Condolence books for victims of the Air Malaysia flight MH17 disaster are available at the offices of local state MPs, they have announced.
Member for South Barwon Andrew Katos said the books were “an opportunity for the community to pay its respects to the lives lost”.
Signs approved
Advertisements 20-metres high are set to run up light towers outside Simonds Stadium.
Geelong’s council this week ticked off on the lights signage when it agreed to seek the Planning Minister’s approval for an amendment allowing the ads.
More buses
Buses services every 20 minutes “or better” in urban Geelong is a target of a new public transport strategy for the city.
Geelong’s council has adopted the strategy of municipalities alliance body G21, which would also seek to simplify bus services and improve central Geelong’s buses interchange.
Voice silenced
Ocean Grove’s singer Johnny Rollins has lost his bid to win television talent show The Voice.
Rollins was bundled out in third place this week despite the mentoring of pop star Kylie Minogue when 18-year-old Anja Nissen was crowned winner for 2014.
Lara program
A youth delinquency program with proven results will spread to Geelong after success overseas, Crime Prevention Minister Edward O’Donohue has announced.
He said Lara would be one of four Victorian locations hosting the Communities that Care program, found to reduce crime and “heavy” abuse of alcohol and drugs by 30 per cent.
Compost search
Farmland near Geelong is set to turn into a compositing site to handle the city’s green waste.
Council announced this week it was seeking a five-hectare site for the “processing facility” after planning laws changed to allow composting on farmland.
