MEMBERS of the Capel Sound community say they are fed up with being ignored by Mornington Peninsula Shire Council. Community lobbyists are calling for more financial input into the Capel Sound “village” shopping area, amid claims that years of “neglect” have left the main shopping area in desperate need of a revival.
The shopping area on Point Nepean Road has one of the most enviable locations on the peninsula, opposite the unspoilt foreshore and mid-way between Mornington and Portsea. But traders and residents say it doesn’t get the recognition or financial backing it deserves.
Proud resident and community activist Terry Wright, who fought for the name change from Rosebud West, says the community deserves better. He said a proposal had been submitted to the council that contained a five-stage plan to turn the precinct into a “vibrant coastal destination”. “Look, in comparison to what the council spends on other areas, we feel like we are ignored,” he said. “What people now see is an unappealing shopping strip that has eight food outlets, a live music venue and a water sports business. “Behind the shops is space with a capacity for over 200 car parking spaces that was created in 1980 when the bowls club was moved to provide space for the shopping village to expand.
Across the road is the unique Capel Sound foreshore nature reserve with its white sandy, family-safe beaches. “We have a fantastic location with a great beach opposite, and I think this shopping area should be an asset to the entire region, we just need to improve it so we can attract the right shops. “Shops are closing, and the area needs revival to attract visitors and traders.”
Wright, who is also chair of the Capel Sound Foreshore Committee, said there were submissions made to the shire about signs that would promote the area as a “vibrant coastal community”. “We’d love to see the area improved so it attracts more diverse traders, like a bakery, a pharmacy and is a destination,” he said.
Wright said not much had changed despite a feasibility study. “Capel Sound residents are a tight-knit community who take pride in their area and want to bring it back to life,” Cr Debra Mar said. “Residents are wishing to turn the Capel Sound Shopping Village into a vibrant coastal destination for everyone including tourists. It’s about supporting each other to make this vision come true.”
First published in the Mornington News – 14th May 2024
