Question to Yarra Ranges Council – 11 September 2018
Mr Judd Zekzas, Resident of Warburton, asked:
“Yarra Ranges Council, Banks, Real estate agents, Short term accommodation providers and local businesses are the main beneficiaries for the economic outcomes for the Warburton Mountain Bike Destination project; while housing affordability and homelessness remains a national crisis. If council truly believes these economic benefits outweigh negative impacts to social, cultural and environmental outcomes for the broader community, would council be willing to do an ongoing impact assessment that assesses the cultural, social and environmental outcomes for residents directly impacted?”
Mr Mark Varmalis, Director Environment & Engineering responded:
It is considered that economic outcomes do not outweigh, but support social and health outcomes.
A significant outcome of the Warburton Mountain Biking Destination project will be increasing employment opportunities in the region. There is a large body of research and evidence linking improved social and health outcomes with employment, education and physical environments.
The project will look to strengthen cultural and environmental outcomes through genuine engagement with the community and Wurundjeri. The project will fund environmental research and improvement programs such as re-vegetating illegal trails, resourcing environmental volunteer and education programs, increasing access to the environment, and where possible, improving natural habitat.
Council is currently undertaking a body of work to understand the cultural, social and environmental impacts and outcomes relating to the Warburton Mountain Bike Destination. This body of work will address:
o Recreation opportunities
o Public health outcomes
o Employment opportunities
o Housing affordability
o Traffic and parking impacts
o Change in amenity
o Environmental outcomes and impacts, and
o Cultural and heritage impacts and opportunities
The project would welcome any community input towards identifying suitable performance objectives to measure prior to and post construction, and for which there is a commitment for continued monitoring.
A significant outcome of the Warburton Mountain Biking Destination project will be increasing employment opportunities in the region. There is a large body of research and evidence linking improved social and health outcomes with employment, education and physical environments.
The project will look to strengthen cultural and environmental outcomes through genuine engagement with the community and Wurundjeri. The project will fund environmental research and improvement programs such as re-vegetating illegal trails, resourcing environmental volunteer and education programs, increasing access to the environment, and where possible, improving natural habitat.
Council is currently undertaking a body of work to understand the cultural, social and environmental impacts and outcomes relating to the Warburton Mountain Bike Destination. This body of work will address:
o Recreation opportunities
o Public health outcomes
o Employment opportunities
o Housing affordability
o Traffic and parking impacts
o Change in amenity
o Environmental outcomes and impacts, and
o Cultural and heritage impacts and opportunities
The project would welcome any community input towards identifying suitable performance objectives to measure prior to and post construction, and for which there is a commitment for continued monitoring.
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