The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM)’s 2018 Annual General Meeting has heard confirmation that the Bulleen property will be compulsory acquired to build a new freeway in the city.
Sunday’s AGM atmosphere was described as “calm and constructive” but GCM President Bill Papastergiadis told the meeting it was unfortunate that the Bulleen property will be bought amid the development of the North East Link Freeway Project.
He noted that he had numerous meetings with the Victoria Government. However, it had been articulated by the government within the last week, that the site would be acquired.
Papastergiadis, on behalf of the GCM, and more generally on behalf of the broader community, has on many occasions voiced the strong disappointment of the community in the loss of this site.
He has made it clear to the Victoria Government that the re-development of the Bulleen property had captured the imagination of all, and it was embraced by the broader Greek community of the city.
The GCM president informed the AGM that the battle for this issue now resides with gaining appropriate re-zoning of the site and therefore subsequent appropriate compensation.
Other issues discussed at the AGM held at the Andrianakos Centre of the Alphington Grammar School were the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM, the reports of the president and the treasurer and general issues that had been submitted by various members.
Papastergiadis also provided an overview of the key achievements made by the GCM over the 2017 calendar year. He stated that these collective achievements arguably placed the GCM as the peak Greek global organisation.
GCM members E. Tsitas spoke about the importance of the Bulleen property to the GCM and the opportunities which this site has in terms of in aged care, culture, and education.
Costas Markos reiterated that there was no point discussing the opportunities of this site as this site will be compulsory acquired by the Victoria Government.
Vice President Theo Markos stated that the GCM needed to be realistic as there is no doubt that it will be acquired, and that the best it could do was to now pressure the government about rezoning the site.
That is, all members should apply pressure to the government so that a good outcome is achieved for the community.
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