Council Agenda 26/08/19

City of Boroondara 279

7.5 Proposed Naming of Laneways in Kew

Abstract

This report updates Council on action taken following receipt of a petition from community members requesting the laneway between High Street South and Denmark Street, Kew, be formally named. The report seeks a Council resolution to recommend to the Office of Geographic Names (OGN) the formal naming of the two sections of laneway.

Preliminary community consultation resulted in the name “Highfield Pathway” being discussed with the OGN. The OGN advised it could not provide in principle support for this name as it believed the proximity of High Street South and Highview Grove, Kew, would in its opinion cause confusion. The OGN further advised it required two names to be applied to the section of laneway.

Consultation with the Kew Historical Society and Council’s Local and Family History Librarian has identified two appropriate names:

Blake Lane (the section of pathway accessed from High Street South) Halfey Lane (the section of pathway accessed from Denmark Street)

In principle support for these names has been received from the OGN. Attachment 1 shows the location and proposed name for each section of the pathway.

Community consultation on the proposal has been undertaken with properties located within the area outlined in Attachment 2. The survey results indicate support for the proposed names. A Public Notice calling for submissions on the proposal was placed in the Progress Leader in the week commencing 21 May 2019. No submissions were received.

Officers' recommendation

That Council resolve to recommend to the Registrar of Geographic Names that the laneways shown in Attachment 1, as annexed to the minutes, be named “Blake Lane” and “Halfey Lane” respectively.

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Responsible director: Bruce DobsonCustomer Experience and Business Transformation

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1. Purpose

The purpose of this report is for Council to consider if the laneways shown in Attachment 1 should be named. The name proposed for the lane that runs off High Street South, Kew is “Blake Lane” and the name proposed for the lane that runs off Denmark Street, Kew is “Halfey Lane”.

2. Policy implications and relevance to community plan and council plan

This report is consistent with the Council Plan 2017-21, in particular strategies 1, 12 and 13 regarding communication and engagement, improvement of amenity and proactive asset management. It also supports Strategic Objective 7 of the Boroondara Community Plan 2017-27, to “Ensure that ethical, financial and socially responsible decision making reflect community needs and are based on principles of accountability, transparency, responsiveness and consultation”.

3. Background

This report updates Council on action taken following receipt of a petition from community members requesting the laneway between High Street South and Denmark Street, Kew, be formally named. The report seeks a Council resolution to recommend to the Office of Geographic Names (OGN) the formal naming of the two sections of laneway.

Preliminary community consultation resulted in the name “Highfield Pathway” being discussed with the OGN. The OGN advised it could not provide in principle support for this name as it believed the proximity of High Street South and Highview Grove, Kew, would in its opinion cause confusion. The OGN further advised it required two names to be applied to the section of laneway.

Consultation with the Kew Historical Society and Council’s Local and Family History Librarian has identified two appropriate names:

Blake Lane (the section of pathway accessed from High Street South) Halfey Lane (the section of pathway accessed from Denmark Street)

In principle support for these names has been received from the OGN. Attachment 1 shows the location and proposed name for each section of the pathway.

Community consultation on the proposal has been undertaken with properties located within the area outlined in Attachment 2. The survey results indicate support for the proposed names. A Public Notice calling for submissions on the proposal was placed in the Progress Leader in the week commencing 21 May 2019. No submissions were received.

The following is the background provided by the Kew Historical Society and Council’s library service associated with each of the proposed names:

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Blake Lane

“About 1908 Mr W A Blake of Highfield Grove purchased at auction, a block of land fronting Denmark Street and opposite Wellington Street. Later that same year, the land fronting High Street South was to be auctioned and Mr Blake suggested to the Hon. James Balfour that he would be prepared to cut five feet off his land for a pathway if Mr Balfour would buy the block facing High Street South, immediately to the rear, and do the same. Mr Balfour agreed and bought the High Street South block. Mr Blake then arranged with a number of other land holders to contribute five pounds each to the cost and legal fees. The vendors of the land also contributed and Kew Council agreed to take over maintenance of the path in the future. At the time, this was convenient for many people as there was a tram stop at Highfield Grove.

Mr Blake held a variety of positions at Holy Trinity Church, Kew during his 76 years as a parishioner.

Commencing as a choir boy in 1884, he described himself as “happily married” at Holy Trinity Church in 1898, then continued to serve in positions such as Churchwarden, Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer, Parochial Nominator and Representative in the Diocesan Synod.

Mr Blake retired from active involvement in the parish in 1960, but his extensive records and reminiscences were put to great use when Holy Trinity Church published “Centenary, Holy Trinity Church of England, Kew, 1863-1963”.”

Halfey Lane

“After immigrating to Victoria from Lancashire in 1851, John Halfey achieved success in the Bendigo goldfields. He then returned to Melbourne in 1855 with substantial capital to follow commercial pursuits. He had many mining interests and holdings in important companies, such as the Colonial Bank, Murray River shipping and Australian Alliance Assurance Co.

John Halfey was an active member of the Municipality of Kew from its inception. He was one of the early citizens who signed a petition for the constitution of Kew into a municipal district. He was elected in 1861 and served as second chairman of the municipality from 1862-63. In 1864 he was elected for Sandhurst in the Legislative Assembly. In 1871 he joined a syndicate which acquired the Melbourne Newspaper Co. Ltd. and for many years was chief partner of Samuel Winter in managing the Herald newspaper. He was active in Parliament on mining questions and advocated a strong protective tariff. He was appointed official assignee of insolvent estates in January 1872 and while in office also became official liquidator in May 1872 and commissioner of the Supreme Court in November 1872. He resigned these posts in September 1884. Mr Halfey was also one of the original trustees of Holy Trinity Church, Kew and a magistrate at the Court of Petty Sessions.

John and Annie Halfey occupied “Ordsall” at the corner of Charles Street and Cotham Road for several decades and the Renaissance portion was added by Mr Halfey. It is likely that George Wharton was the architect.

In 1889, Halfey died while working at the Herald office in Little Collins Street. He is buried in the Church of England section of Boroondara General Cemetery where he is reputed to have the tallest monument.”

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4. Outline of key issues/options

The naming of roads and streets (including right of ways) is a local government responsibility under the Local Government Act 1989 (Vic). However, all naming proposals must meet the requirements of the Geographic Place Names Act 1998 (Vic) and associated Naming rules for places in Victoria, Statutory requirements for naming roads, features and localities - 2016 (the Rules). The Rules set out the principles that form the basis of whether or not a naming request is compliant. They are wide ranging and are intended to cover the naming of any road, feature or locality in Victoria. The Rules stipulate a name is not to be a duplicate of an existing street name within a five kilometre radius.

5. Consultation/communication

In May 2019 a total of 753 survey forms were forwarded to all owners and occupiers of all properties located within the area outlined in Attachment 2. The survey form asked two questions in relation to each proposed name:

“Blake Lane” “Halfey Lane”Do you approve the proposal to name the pathway accessed from High Street Road shown on the attached plan?

Do you approve the proposal to name the pathway accessed from Denmark Street shown on the attached plan?

Yes/No Yes/NoDo you support the proposed name "Blake Lane" for the pathway accessed from High Street Road shown on the attached plan?

Do you support the proposed name "Halfey Lane" for the pathway accessed from Denmark Street shown on the attached plan?

Yes/No Yes/No

A total of 39 surveys or 5.18% of the surveys were returned. A total of 37 or 94.8% of the returned surveys supported the proposed name “Blake Lane” and 34 or 87.1% of the returned surveys supported the name “Halfey Lane”.

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Consistent with Council’s Naming of Council Properties Policy the survey form indicated that “non-return of the survey form will be treated as being in favour of the proposal.” Taking this in to account the following table indicates that there is overwhelming support for the two naming proposals.

Question Surveys issued

Surveys returned in support

Tacit approval

Total Total % approval

Do you approve the proposal to name the pathway accessed from High Street Road shown on the attached plan?

753 39 714 753 100%

Do you support the proposed name "Blake Lane" for the pathway accessed from High Street Road shown on the attached plan?

753 37 714 751 99.73%

Do you approve the proposal to name the pathway accessed from Denmark Street shown on the attached plan?

753 36 714 750 99.60%

Do you support the proposed name "Halfey Lane" for the pathway accessed from Denmark Street shown on the attached plan?

753 34 714 748 99.34%

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A summary of comments made by the responders and officer comments are detailed below:

Survey comments Officer comment I don't see why Blake Lane cannot

be used - however, if necessary I would support the proposal as put.

Should all area of lane be known as Blake Lane.

The OGN advised that two separate names are required for the two sections of pathway - one name for the section that is accessed from High Street Road and one for the section that is accessed from Denmark Street.

I'd prefer both lanes don't receive extra traffic.

The pathway is not wide enough for vehicular access. It is only a walkway.

Will there be lights installed? The installation of lights is not contemplated as part of the proposed naming proposal. Council’s Traffic and Transport unit has advised lighting is not normally installed in narrow laneways as it could restrict access due to the need to install lighting poles. Also this category of laneway generally do not have high volume pedestrian usage.

Lane not on Google maps. The pathway does not currently appear on Google maps, as it is presently unnamed.

Liked the original idea of Highfield Pathway.

The name was not supported by the Office of Geographic Names.

In conjunction with the survey process Public Notices were placed in the Progress Leader in the week commencing 21 May 2019, inviting submissions on the proposals. The closing date for submissions was 26 June 2019.

No submissions were received as a result of the public notices.

6. Financial and resource implications

The acquisition and installation of street signs will cost approximately $3000.00.

7. Governance issues

Officers involved in the preparation of this report have no conflict of interest. The list of prescribed human rights contained in the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities has been reviewed in accordance with Council’s Human Rights Compatibility Assessment Tool and it is considered that the proposed actions contained in this report represent no breaches of, or infringements upon, those prescribed rights.

8. Social and environmental issues

The naming of the pathways will enable easier identification of the two laneways and recognise the history in relation to the laneways.

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9. Evaluation and review

Officers consider there is sufficient support for the proposal to name the laneways shown in Attachment 1, “Blake Lane” and “Halfey Lane”.

10. Conclusion

It is proposed by officers a submission be forwarded to the Registrar of Geographic Names recommending the laneways shown in Attachment 1 be named “Blake Lane” and “Halfey Lane” respectively.

Manager: Chris Hurley, Commercial & Property Services

Report officer: John Lorkin, Coordinator Revenue and Property Services

Multi Assessment

Multi Lot

Suburbs

Propertyp

Railway Stations

Railway Line

Natural Waterways

Laneway proposed to benamed "Blake Lane"

Laneway proposed to benamed "Halfey Lane"

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City of Boroondara Attachment 7.5.1 286

Map Produced: 17 July, 2019 11:51:54

KEYRoad Names - Major

Road Names - Minor

Property

Roads - Major

Suburbs

Property

Railway Stations

Railway Line

Natural WaterwaysOther Waterways

Yarra RiverMelb Water Channel

Other Waterways

Yarra RiverBuilding Footprints

Recreation Areas

Hospitals

Education

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City of Boroondara Attachment 7.5.2 287