Councillor John Sipek - Mayor
Ward: Rose Hill (representing Airport West, Avondale Heights, Keilor East, Niddrie, most of Essendon West and part of Strathmore Heights)
Portfolio: Sports and Community Organisations
Phone: 0423 776 740
Email: jsipek@mvcc.vic.gov.au
Mayor's June/July update
We’re thrilled to see that some of our sports and leisure initiatives have gained support from the State Government, including the East Keilor Leisure Centre redevelopment and the new multi-use courts at Riverside Golf and Tennis Centre. The redevelopment of the East Keilor Leisure Centre will see it transformed into a state-of-the-art aquatic and leisure facility to meet the community’s current and long-term needs. We are grateful to the State Government for this generous funding commitment and hope to see this support continue in the coming years.
In recent months we have seen some wonderful community initiatives come to fruition as a result of our Moonee Valley Grants program. This program is one of the ways we support the community groups and local business that go above and beyond to support our residents. Applications for round one open in July and I encourage anyone who has an idea, big or small, that will make Moonee Valley a better place to live, work or play, to apply.
It’s time to nominate for our annual Spirit of Moonee Valley Community Awards! These awards celebrate residents who dedicate themselves to making a difference in the community. If you know someone extraordinary, why not nominate them?
The weather may be cooling down but Moonee Valley will be a hot spot this winter as we launch our first ever Winter Fest. Don’t miss out on ice-skating, music, theatre, movies, and special dining and shopping deals.
Rose Hill Ward June/July update
MV2040 will be our long-term plan to deliver a fair, green, beautiful, connected and thriving city. Thank you to everyone who gave us feedback on our draft MV2040 Strategy.
The final strategy is expected at a June Council Meeting for endorsement. We advocate for the interests of our community including seeking support from State and Federal Governments for high-priority services and infrastructure.
Our new Advocacy Strategy outlines how we’ll advocate for important projects, including East Keilor Leisure Centre, the Moonee Ponds Creek revitalisation and increased tree canopy across Moonee Valley.
About Mayor Cr Sipek
Tell us about yourself
I live in East Keilor, with my wife and two adult sons. I am an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer by profession and also a professional Company Director. Currently, I am a Director of the Qantas Superannuation Fund, a Justice of the Peace; and a long time member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. I enjoy all forms of sporting activities and support many local clubs.
What five words best describe you?
- Patient
- Listener
- Realist
- Persistent
- Dedicated
What do you hope to achieve
in your term as Councillor?
In 2010-11 when I was Mayor I introduced a tradition of fiscal responsibility aligned with Council strategies. Some measures that Council applied were a long term strategy to keep rates at record lows, continuous budgetary reviews, and streamlining services and functions - just doing things smarter not harder. This has placed us in a strong position with the introduction of rate capping.
We have proposed real, long-term savings instead of relying on short-term actions to enable us to plan well for the future. Projects that these savings have contributed to are major upgrades to sporting fields and pavilions throughout the city, the Milleara Integrated Learning and Development Centre and the Avondale Heights Library and Learning Centre.
Over the next four years I would like to introduce netball courts to football or soccer clubs, explore introducing a Men’s Shed in the Rose Hill Ward, upgrade our pavillions to include lights for night sports, and see the redevelopment of the East Keilor Leisure Centre. These projects and more will ensure our children and future generations enjoy our wonderful city.
What do you think are Moonee Valley's greatest strengths?
Moonee Valley is a wonderful boutique city. It is located close to the Melbourne CBD, Melbourne Airport, major arterial roads and diverse environmentally significant open space and waterways. It is a well known fact that Victoria is the place to be, and I say "Moonee Valley is the place to live in Victoria." Our greatest strength is you, our residents who live, work or contribute to our city.