Clean up call for Pakenham- Councillor George Blenkhorn says a lack in council maintenance alo

By Melissa Meehan
PAKENHAM is not a tidy town, according to Cardinia Shire councillor George Blenkhorn.
In recent weeks, Cr Blenkhorn said he had received a number of complaints about the general appearance of the entrance to the township both on Kooweerup – Healesville Road and Bald Hill Road.
“It’s a poor impression of the town when you drive in,” Cr Blenkhorn said.
“There is long grass, blackberries, gorse and broken fences along the main entrance to Pakenham – it’s the first thing you see.”
He said while Racecourse Road and Healesville – Kooweerup Road was VicRoads responsibility, their quarterly maintenance of the roadside was insufficient.
“Some roadsides are mown, others are not, the western fence line is completely overgrown with blackberries and gorse,” he said.
“The impression of anyone coming into Pakenham this way is of a very third rate township with no sense of civic pride.”
Bald Hill Road is the responsibility of the Cardinia Council and Mr Blenkhorn said he believed the maintenance had slipped up.
“They cleaned up the roundabout last week, but on one side of the road you can’t even walk along the footpath,” he said.
“Is Pakenham a good town, or one without standards, no pride?”
Cr Blenkhorn said the council voted last week to write to VicRoads, offering to take on maintenance of Healesville – Kooweerup Road – at a price.
“Steps need to be taken now and others need to be made to stop this from recurring,” he said.
“Because now I guess it would justify the slogan ‘Pakenham – the place not to be’”.