Taxi costs local $55 to go from Templestowe Lower to Donvale.

I thought I'd flag to be careful with taxis. A local resident recently took a taxi from Finns Reserve to Tunstall Square. The cost of the taxi ride was reportedly around $55.

Using the taxi fare estimator this fare shouldn't have been more than $30 and using Uber, perhaps under $20.

When time permits I'll try to find out more, but at this stage I wanted to flag people should be careful when taking taxis in the local area.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.JustLocal.com.au

Tree fell onto car in Stradmore Avenue Templestowe

On May 15th I was out walking when I noticed the branch of a tree had fallen on to the car in Stradmore Avenue. I couldn't help feeling how relatively lucky the car was. The body of the car didn't appear to have any damage, but the rear bumper had been cracked, so the car did sustain some significant damage.

This is a good remainder to check where you park and make sure you watch out for trees. The street tree in front of our place has had branches fall on two occasions. I've suggested the council remove the tree, but each time they've simply removed the branches. To me that's a damaged car waiting to happen.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.JustLocal.com.au/3106

Shell/Coles Express in Templestowe not currently selling petrol

I noticed the Shell/Coles Express service station in Templestowe (corner Porter Street and Fitzsimons Lane) had darkened out their prices and blocked the petrol pumps, so currently they don't appear to be selling petrol.

http://maps.apple.com/maps?q=-37.75226827594367,145.13433895906036

Kelvin Eldridge

Westfield Doncaster tipped for expansion to compete with nearby retailers | HeraldSun

Westfield Doncaster tipped for expansion to compete with nearby retailers | HeraldSun: WESTFIELD Doncaster is reportedly holding “meaningful discussions” with Manningham Council about expansion as neighbouring shopping centres lock in half-billion-dollar upgrades.

Kelvin Eldridge

Jordan Hinds persuades Manningham Council to reverse decision to sell Tatterson Reserve | HeraldSun

Jordan Hinds persuades Manningham Council to reverse decision to sell Tatterson Reserve | HeraldSun: Jordan Hinds, his mum Alanna, and sister Ava celebrate Manningham Council’s decision not to sell Tatterson Reserve in Templestowe.

Kelvin Eldridge

Power outage Templestowe, Wednesday 25th November 2015, 10:10 pm.

The power went out for us in Templestowe around 10:10 pm. The power momentarily came back on but then went off again.

Checking the distributor information indicates the estimated time for restoration to be 2:10 am tomorrow. No reason was given for the outage. The affect area is local, but to me larger than I would have expected.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.JustLocal.com.au

Update: At 11:03 pm the power returned to normal.

Should Templestowe football club be advertising alcohol?

I read this article where in France and now New Zealand they appear to be trying to break the connection between sport and the promotion of alcohol to our youth with local advertising. I decided to check the Templestowe Football club site to see if one of their main sponsors was an alcohol related company.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/25800240/new-zealand-mulls-alcohol-sponsorship-ban/

Yep. Right there on the main page for their site the second advertiser you see is a beer company.

www.templestowefc.com

I've not been actively involved in cricket or football clubs, but from those I've spoken to over the years there does appear to be strong association between alcohol and sport. Drinking after the game and high level players going on to own pubs/hotels.

However it feels like this is a very indirect approach. Surely drinks after matches (if they occur) would be reinforcing the association far more than the advertising which seems to be largely ignored by most people. I'm sure the label in a person's hand is far more likely to be noticed than the ad on a site or around the ground which wouldn't even be noticed by most people.

It's easy to ban the advertising. I wonder what would happen if there was a no alcohol policy on the grounds of all council owned sporting venues. People still want to play sport and if it is important to those who participate in the sport, then perhaps it's time for those people to be proactive in looking after the interests of the next generation.

Next time I'm talking to my friends from the sporting clubs I'll ask a few more questions and see what is really happening in the local sporting groups.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.JustLocal.com.au/3106