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Kenmore South State School Parents Outraged Over Possible BYOD Program Rollout Next Year, Plans to Boycott Underway

Parents of Kenmore South State School are outraged over the rollout of the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program, which will start next year. When this project rolls out, parents will have to pay $1000 per child to be on the program.

Their Concerns

The main concern of the parents is how prolonged use of technology can affect their children. They also said that they weren’t properly consulted about this. In fact, an online petition was made, which garnered 125 signatures.

The online petition details the parents’ take on the BYOD program. It details how everything seems rushed and introducing such a significant change in the teaching process can affect children’s learning adaptabilities. They also said that the staff at KSSS haven’t discussed the educational benefit of the use of BYOD.

Also according to the parents, the school hasn’t provided enough details regarding the program such as what happens to the parents who choose not to participate in the program. They also worry about the health effects of excessive screen time to their children.

Not Against The Use of Technology

KSSS parents made it clear though that they are not against the use of technology for learning but what they are against is the excessive use of it especially for younger ones. They are seeking proper consultation from the executives of the schools.

KSSS Keeps Mum

However, a recent update on the petition said that the KSSS hasn’t responded to their concerns and is proceeding with the BYOD program. There has also been requests from the person who started the petition online for parents to boycott the program.

They school says that they held consultations with parents regarding the BYOD program, on the 25th of July.

Not A First In the West

This isn’t the first school that has gained negative feedback in the West. Rainworth State School in Bardon also experienced adverse feedback and some resistance over the rollout of a similar program to its students from Year 4 and up. Executives of RSS engaged a consultant to work with parents after complaints.

Also Read: Bardon’s Rainworth State School One-to-One Laptop Program For Year 4 Students & Above Draws Concerns From Parents

Kenmore Library to Showcase and Sell Student Artwork from Art Classes Brisbane

Next month, Kenmore will be the home of an art exhibition by 15 students of Art Classes Brisbane at Kenmore Library.

Their works of art will be on display the whole month of September and will be available for sale. There are different themes of art as well as different forms of art techniques.

Art Classes Brisbane is located on Paltarra Steer in The Gap. They hold morning, afternoon and evening lessons. They also hold several workshops and they also welcome parties. Just recently, the school has opened a slot for Psychic Readings as well performed by psychic reader Valerie, who is also a regular at Woodford folk festival.

On the 30th of September, all purchased artworks will be available for collection or you can get them from their school in The Gap.

Entry to the event is FREE.

Brookfield’s Wild Canary Goes On The Road For the First Time

Right smack in the middle of Brookfield Garden Centre lies the Wild Canary Cafe. Established in 2014, the cafe has gained an excellent reputation amongst the area’s discriminating regulars. This week, the Wild Canary Cafe will have their first on-the-road event in the Lockyer Valley at 9Dorf Farms on 26th August, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The Event

Witness how your food goes from the farm to your fork. See the farmers in action and enjoy delicious lunch sourced from the surrounds at the historic Grantham Butter Factory. Engage with the farmers and learn more about their lives, their products and their work. You can also buy the produce and take it home for you to cook on your own.

The Cafe

Wild Canary is a botanical bistro owned by Scott and Robin McLay. Every morning before they open, you will spot their head chef Glen Barratt and head gardener Alex Robinson picking up fresh herbs and spices that they will use for their food service.

The cafe is open for breakfast and lunch. Check out their Pork belly croquettes, Bauer’s organic sweet corn, beans, watercress, confit garlic, sourdough & free range poached egg.

You will also love their Pecan Fed Free Range Pork Burger with grilled pineapple, cos, tomato, cheddar, slaw, chipotle aioli, onion rings & chips.

Their lunch is delicious with their organic chicken terrine with tomato chutney and green salad or their Chermoula Gold Coast tiger prawns with pineapple tabouli and lime.

The farm tour and food experience for a full day costs $165 whilst those who wish to have lunch only will only have to pay $140.

Tickets are limited. For more details about the event and to book, click here.

Vira Lata Brings Brazilian Food to Kenmore & Western Suburbs

Vira Lata, that big yellow truck roaming around West Brisbane, is hard to miss! The truck is a treat for the senses, with the delicious cooking smell emitting from it that is enough to send one’s stomach rumbling. Vira Lata drops by Kenmore every Thursday night on 2051 Moggill Rd. from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., serving authentic South American street food with a Portuguese twist.

Photo credit: Vira Lata Food Truck Facebook

Owned by husband and wife Carlo & Taline, they offer delicious Brazilian food concocted from secret family recipes. Vira Lata means “the mixed breed dog that roams the streets.”

One should not miss their Vira Lata signature sandwich with free range pork sausage, palm hearts, house made ketchup, cheddar cheese, kiss peppers, pickles and radishes topped with french fries and coriander.

The Vaca Lock (Crazy Cow) is a slow braised wagyu brisket on baguette with escabeche sauce and madam cheese, Brazilian haloumi with sugar cane sauce, Nordestino, and pat de queijo, gluten-free traditional Brazilian cheese buns.

They also have a wide range of snacks but they are subject to availability. When it’s available don’t miss out on their coxinha and unha.

Esfiha with homemade Garlic & Yoghurt sauce
Photo credit: Vira Lara Food Truck / Facebook

Unwind with a cool drink of Guarana, a Brazilian soft drink.

Check their website for their calendar.

Kenmore Sees Bridge and Pedestrian Upgrades

Work has begun on two bridge and pedestrian upgrades in Kenmore. The upgrades will be seen at Katunga and Akuna streets.

The upgrades have been a fund of $1.75 million that will help existing bridges bordering Cubberla Creek Reserve, Moggill Rd, the sports fields at the reserve and the Centenary Bikeway. Wider and stronger bridges along with bike-friendly handrails will be placed. There will also be new footpaths to connect the said bridges.

The Katunga Street bridge upgrade will see the stabilisation of the creek bank, the removal of the existing bridge structure, new bridge foundation, the installation of a concrete pedestrian and cycle bridge, modification of the existing guardrail and the reconstruction of the footpath and road sections to tie in with the new bridge.

Once this is done, the bridge will be three meters wide, following the standard width for a pedestrian and cycle bridge.

While the Akuna Street bridge upgrade will follow the same procedures, it will be 3.6 meters wide when it is finished due to its role in the existing bikeway network.

The Katunga Street Bridge is expected to be complete in mid-2017, whilst the Akuna Street Bridge completion will be completed towards the end of 2017.

Kenmore South State School Celebrates 50 Years

On 5 August, be ready to celebrate an exciting festival at Kenmore South State School. The fete, aptly called “Celebrate,” will be held at the school grounds from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to celebrate the school’s 50th birthday.

Photo credit: Kenmore South State School Fete / Facebook

Of course, it will not be a festival without fun rides such as the Sizzler, Giant Chairs, Super Slide and Rock Wall. You can now get your ride pass on Munch Monitor, here’s how.

There will be stalls of great food as well. Stalls will have an eclectic line-up of delicious goodies such as sushi, Mexican, BBQ, and other International treats that you don’t want to miss.

Aside from food stalls, there will be other stalls selling second hand books, kids clothes, toys, plants and many more interesting tidbits that will make you want to walk around and explore.

Live musical entertainment featuring David Kidd and other artists will keep the excitement meter up.

What makes this FETE even more special is that there’s going to be a bar. Happy hour is actually happening over a two-hour stretch, from 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Make sure that your schedule is free this Saturday because all roads in Kenmore lead to KSSS!

Kenmore Seen as a Victim of Overdevelopment Because of a State Government Planning Policy?

Kenmore residents are still fighting against the Azure townhouse development plan on Moggill Road and Wyndarra St., with the concerns centering on the number of townhouses and resultant overdevelopment in the area, along with the higher volume of traffic going on to Moggill Road.

State LNP MP for Moggill Christian Rowan and Councillor Kate Richards (Pullenvale) are of like mind that because of the Southeast Queensland Regional Plan, the Brisbane City Council’s role in approving development applications such as that of Azure has been somewhat diminished to that of being “administrator” of the SEQ regional plan, which calls for the approval of 223,000 homes in the next 30 years. They point to this planning policy as something that is pressuring Council to give approvals for high-density housing developments in suburbs. Also, since the objection period has been limited to just three weeks, dissenters have a limited time to voice their objections.

The South East Queensland Regional Plan

Brisbane supports the largest proportion of SEQ’s population. The first statutory regional plan for SEQ took effect in 2005. As part of the the government’s ongoing commitment to planning in SEQ, a review was made along with a community conversations program. These resulted in a draft SEQ plan called ShapingSEQ that details a framework to manage the region’s growth during the next 25 years along with a vision for the next 50 years.

In the draft, a focus on infill is brought to light, which aims for higher density living. It aims to guarantee that people in urban areas will be given various housing options that have close access to transportation.

In a statement made as part of the Regional Planning Committee for the SEQ Regional Plan, a state planning department spokeswoman was quick to respond to the residents’ backlash saying that the Queensland Government isn’t forcing councils to increase their density. She said that councils still have the power to approve or disapprove development applications as they deem fit.

“Regional plans are strategic, high-level documents. It remains the responsibility of councils to determine where new development occurs through their planning schemes and neighbourhood plans,” she said.

Over-development?

Many believe though that quiet Kenmore is being “over-developed,” with the number of townhouses being built in the suburb, along with other establishments and structures. Aside from the looming prospect of the Azure development, the recent construction of the Churches of Christ Community Centre has been the subject of much discussion in the neighbourhood.

Read: Churches of Christ Community Centre in Kenmore Continues To Get Backlash From Residents

Read: Kenmore Residents Actively Campaigning Against Proposed Azure Townhouse Development

Given the objections to recent development approvals, and the discussion concerning what may have been the influence of the State planning policy on recent decisions, it seems that Council needs to assure residents that its role in assessing and approving developments remains undiminished and with a continuing view towards keeping the suburbs’ best interests in mind.

Kenmore Residents Actively Campaigning Against Proposed Azure Townhouse Development

Kenmore residents don’t seem too happy with the current developments in their suburb as well as potential ones. The new Churches of Christ being built in the area has recently gotten negative feedback from the local community. On the other hand, the Azure townhouse development plan that was proposed along Moggill Road and Wyndarra St. is still gaining a lot of feedback whilst the community continues to campaign against it.

The collection of feedback from residents against the residential development has been completed. Based on the feedback gathered, residents are very much against this development because they believe that the suburb will not be able to cope with the increased density that the project will bring.

Also Read: Kenmore Residents Displeased Over New Townhouse Proposal
Also Read: Churches of Christ Community Centre in Kenmore Continues to Get Backlash From Residents

Another touchy issue is the concern that it will cause further traffic congestion on Moggill Rd., which is already one of the busiest roads in the western suburbs.

The Brisbane City Council has acted on the pleas of the residents and sent a request for further information to the developer, Azure. It states that the proposal was not supported in its current form, outlining flooding concerns and adherence to the multiple dwelling code, stormwater code and filling and excavation code. This also includes traffic issues, waste collection, and many more.

Azure, eager to build in the area, submitted an updated proposal reiterating that they are adhering to the council’s requirements. You can view the plans here.

Kenmore Living Inc, is a local community organisation that has been actively campaigning against the proposed development plan. They have also submitted their former objection to the council. You can view their full objection here.

The local group also campaigns at various locations in the suburb to gain support and to spread awareness as to why such development cannot be given the go-signal.

Churches of Christ Community Centre in Kenmore Continues to Get Backlash From Residents

The new Churches of Christ Headquarters in Kenmore just can’t really catch a break. Residents around the area seem appalled at how it’s shaping up. Apparently, they didn’t expect the building to be “so modern” and many consider it to look out of place in the suburb. There are other issues as well that have been raising eyebrows among the locals.

Last year, residents were complaining about how the whole construction process of this development seemed so disorganised. In fact, it was described as literally a “messy work-in-progress.” The development had brought in roadwork and footpath closures that adversely affected traffic around the area.

Now, as the Churches of Christ community centre slowly begins to take shape towards the end of its stage two completion, residents are shocked at how big it is turning out to be. The centre will house a 350-seat auditorium, a 75-seater cafe, and over 240 car spaces. Many say that its modern aesthetic makes it unseemly in a suburb that for the most part is not so modern.

According to one resident, at night, the centre is so well-lit that it’s hard to miss. The loss of trees to pave way for the development has also increased road noise by reducing sound cover. She also said that they didn’t understand how it would look like when it was proposed, hence their surprise now.

The nearby roundabout is also a cause for worry as it is anticipated that more vehicles will use this once the centre is finished, which can take longer travel time to get through it at school leaving time.

The acting chief executive of Churches of Christ David Swain said that their design and construction adhere to the development approval and the topography of the site. Mr Swain said that they are about to begin landscaping soon which will add more greenery to the area. To address the traffic issues, he said that there will be a new turning lane into the campus and the driveway to improve the flow of traffic.

Kenmore Village Encourages Everyone to be Extra Kind on Strive To Be Kind Day

The death of Allison Baden-Clay has shone more light on domestic violence and has helped to empower thousands of people to help fight it. More like a wake-up call that domestic violence is very rampant nowadays, a foundation was built in honour of Mrs Clay.

Be a Ball of Sunshine

Photo credit: Strive to Be Kind / Facebook

On 28 July, the Kenmore Village Shopping Centre is taking part to help the foundation. The shopping centre will celebrate Strive to Be Kind Day of the Allison Baden-Clay Foundation and they are encouraging everyone to wear bright yellow. The stores will also “turn yellow” for that day. Everybody is encouraged to make a donation to help rebuild the lives of victims of crime.

Allison’s Story

Photo credit: Allison Baden-Clay Foundation

Allison was close to perfect — she was smart and beautiful. She was Miss Brisbane in 1993. She caught the eye of Gerard Baden-Clay, the great grandson of Scouts founder Lord Baden-Powell. Smitten by him, they got married and had three kids. Everything looked perfect until her death, where the secrets started unraveling. It turned out that her seemingly perfect life was just a facade.

Apparently, her husband was violent and abusive. Allison tried so hard to fix her marriage but failed. On 20 April 2012, Allison went missing and the police came to their home in Brookfield. Gerard spoke to the police with scratches on his cheeks, which he said to be shaving cuts. The search for Allison continued and it was one of the biggest missing person searches Brisbane had.

During the search, the support was overflowing. The community was helping. Ten days later, Allison’s body was found under the Kholo Creek Bridge at Anstead. And everything just came crashing down. Gerard was charged and his affairs and a million-dollar insurance benefit were unearthed. In July 2014, Gerard was sentenced to life imprisonment for killing his wife.

The Allison Baden-Clay Foundation

The foundation hopes that this story will help reach others who need help. Most of the domestic violence victims remain quiet, terrified of their abuser. This foundation aims to put a stop to that.

Strive to Be Kind Day started in 2012. This day makes the whole community come together and show a little more kindness. The concept has gained enormous support from businesses and shopping centers including Kenmore Village. Schools also show support as well as the Ipswich City Council.

The funds that they will raise through this event will help them fund their programs that educate and empower people in people, schools, community, and workplaces about respectful relationships, how to recognise and deal with unhealthy relationships and understanding domestic violence in all its forms.

Brighten up someone’s day on the 28th of July. It will go a long way.