New leaders emerge for Parkville Gardens

As confidently predicted last month, the Parkville Gardens Residents’ Association’s (PGRA) AGM and social evening held on Monday, September 9 was a great success.

Forty residents turned up to make it a comfortably full house in the Western Pavilion on Park St. This was particularly pleasing for two reasons …

One, because of the gratifying number of first-time attendees. And two, because the venue was new for PGRA as well as being off-site – a double challenge. 

It turned out to be ideal both for the meeting and for the convivial supper that followed. Thanks to the sports and recreation team at the City of Melbourne for helping make it available.

One really happy outcome was the election of two new residents to the committee. We welcome aboard Jane Flanagan and Melody Trueman. They join re-elected members Tom Knowles (President), Faye Ryan (Secretary and Treasurer), Ian Aitken, Michael Main, Jay and Uma Iyengar, and Jose Torres. 

We thank Uddike Kahawatte for his years of service on the committee as he stands down. Our City of Melbourne neighbourhood partner Nas Mohammud was thanked in her absence for her sterling work liaising with councillors and council staff on our behalf. 

One very tangible product of her labours is the new noticeboard near the children’s playground and barbecues in the Galada Avenue Reserve.

Much of the general business section of the meeting was spent on issues of communication and community cohesion. These are matters are central to the Association’s purposes as well as being challenging to make progress on. 

We will continue to give them the priority they call for. There’s also the issue of residents’ deeper concern about crime and safety in the neighbourhood amid increased reports of incidents such as car break-ins.

The post-meeting social was thoroughly enjoyed by all and served its purpose of strengthening bonds and building an inclusive community. Thanks again to the City of Melbourne for the funding that made it possible. Our next event will be a children’s Halloween celebration in Cade Square early in the evening of Thursday October 31. 

Looking much further ahead, thanks to funding from Greater Western Water we’ll have a neighbourhood festival on the Galada Ave Reserve in March next year. 

We’ll keep eyes and ears open for anything else that we can celebrate together before the end of the year. In the meantime, it’s trick or treat! •