Glen Eira City Council

It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that we share the news of the passing of our friend and former colleague Mark Saunders. Mark was our Director of Community Wellbeing, a role that he cherished very much. He leaves a strong legacy both as a leader and as a public servant of over 30 years of Council service. His dedication and commitment to strong community outcomes made a lasting impact on everyone, and for that we are very grateful. Under Mark’s leadership the Community Wellbeing Directorate flourished, fostering a more inclusive, healthy, and connected environment for our residents. He championed programs to enhance social support and social policy, ensured the vibrancy of our libraries, arts and cultural programs and drove high standards in service delivery for older residents, families and young people. He worked hard to bring a new style of leadership to the Directorate, aligned with his values of fairness, equity and reward for hard work. Mark’s leadership in pandemic planning and recovery was exemplary. Through unprecedented times he played a crucial role in ensuring the safety, health, and well-being of our community. He coordinated responsive support services, facilitated access to essential resources, and drove our recovery efforts. Mark’s passing is an immeasurable loss for Council. We extend our deepest condolences to Mark’s wife Katherine, his family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside him. May Mark’s legacy continue to inspire us to strive to make a positive difference, just as he did. Vale Mark Saunders.

A big congratulations to Cr Li Zhang on being elected to represent inner southeast councils on the Municipal Association of Victoria board! 👏 Advocacy plays a vital role in local government—especially as community expectations evolve and councils navigate financial constraints. Partnering with other levels of government is essential to delivering community projects and policy reforms that create meaningful impact. Having a Glen Eira voice on the board of our peak body is a great step forward—reinforcing our leadership in sector advocacy and ensuring our region is well represented.

Our long-serving Chief Executive Officer, Rebecca McKenzie, has announced she will conclude her time as CEO in August this year, after nine years at the helm. Rebecca will leave Council with some of its highest-ever staff engagement levels, high levels of community satisfaction in Council services, an improving financial position in the face of economic challenges, and a committed new Councillor group who have hit the ground running. Glen Eira Mayor Cr Simone Zmood said that while she was saddened by Rebecca’s decision, she supported and respected her desire to pursue new opportunities. “I think I speak for the entire Councillor group in saying we very much wanted Rebecca to extend her contract, but she felt strongly the time was right — for her and the organisation — to make a change,” the Mayor said. Read more 🔗 https://brnw.ch/21wQX0V

We’re thrilled to announce the development of a new cycling pavilion at Packer Park in Carnegie, set to become the heart of cycling in Glen Eira. Glen Eira Mayor Cr Simone Zmood was joined by Dr Michelle Ananda-Rajah MP, Member for Higgins and fellow Councillors earlier today to mark the start of construction, which will soon begin. Located next to the iconic Packer Park Velodrome and home to the Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club — one of the largest cycling clubs in Australia with over 600 members — this modern, fit-for-purpose pavilion will provide the perfect space for the club’s growing junior, social, and recreational programs, and continue to support large-scale events. Sustainability is key, with the pavilion powered by 100 per cent renewable energy, featuring a 10,000L rainwater tank, and using recycled concrete for footpaths.

There’s been lots to celebrate in Glen Eira this past month! Glen Eira Mayor Simone Zmood and CEO Rebecca McKenzie, along with Councillors past and present, Members of Parliament, builders, architects, community members and staff gathered today for the official reopening of the Carnegie Memorial Swimming Pool. This $75 million project opened to the public last month on time and on budget, and since then we have had over 55,000 visitors enjoy everything the facility has to offer. That’s 1,600+ people per day or one person popping by every 30 seconds! Cr Zmood said the redeveloped facility was the result of all levels of government working together for future generations.  The redevelopment has transformed Carnegie Memorial Swimming Pool into a modern aquatic and leisure space, while preserving its historic charm. This revitalised and much-loved community icon can now meet the needs of future generations. The community celebrated last weekend with a pool party including live music, a diving competition and kids' activities for a day full of fun. We're pleased to see how quickly the facility has once again become a staple in the community’s summer activities.

A big congratulations to former Glen Eira councillor Jim Magee on receiving a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) as part of the Australia Day honours list. 👏 The OAM has been awarded to recognise Jim’s service to local government. During his 16 years as a councillor, Jim was a strong advocate for Glen Eira’s southern suburbs. He was Mayor for three terms and previously served as Deputy Mayor. Since retiring from Council, Jim has remained a staunch support of local government and regularly appears in sector media to discuss current events. Jim joins the late councillor Dr David Zyngier AM and former councillor Jamie Hyams OAM and current Councillor Sam Parasol OAM as other recent recipients of Order of Australia honours. 🥇 Read more https://brnw.ch/21wQfz0

We're excited to announce the reopening of Carnegie Memorial Swimming Pool on Wednesday 8 January. The $75 million redevelopment has transformed the facility into a state-of-the-art centre while preserving iconic features like the red brick façade, outdoor pool tiling, grassy hill, and diving boards. New additions include an outdoor children’s splash pad, group exercise rooms, a wellness zone with a warm water pool, spa, sauna, and steam room, and an indoor pool for learn-to-swim programs. Visitors can also enjoy barbecues, shaded seating, and a new café. The project prioritised accessibility, with improvements to welcome people of all ages and abilities, including wheelchair access to the pools and splash pad. The Carnegie Memorial Swimming Pool is also one of the most sustainable in the country, having achieved a Six-Star Green Star design certification. On opening day, the 50-metre pool and splash pad will be open from 10am to 8pm, and the dive pool will be available from 12pm to 6pm. Other areas will open progressively throughout the week. We want to thank and congratulate all the people and staff involved in this magnificent achievement, which has been years in the making.👏

Congratulations to local MP Nick Staikos who has been officially sworn in as Minister for Local Government and Minister for Consumer Affairs. Local government is the closest level of government to the community, and we are thrilled to have such a strong advocate and former Glen Eira councillor leading this space. We look forward to continuing to work with you to make Glen Eira a great place to live, work, visit and play.

The new two-way cycling path along Queens Avenue, Caulfield East, is officially open. This three-metre-wide separated bike lane connects Caulfield and Glen Huntly train stations, providing a safer, greener, and more enjoyable way to travel and a big step towards sustainable and connected communities. Key benefits include: ✅ Improved safety with a dedicated cycling lane and reduced speed limits ✅ Protection of trees and retention of residential parking ✅ A more sustainable option for reducing car reliance Delivered by Glen Eira City Council and funded by the Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP), this path represents what’s possible when governments and communities work together. The path was officially opened by Glen Eira Mayor Cr Simone Zmood, fellow Councillors and Member for Southern Metropolitan Region Ryan Batchelor MLC on Thursday 19 December 2024. Reflecting on the achievement, Mayor Cr Simone Zmood shared “Safe cycling routes are transformative. They're not just about getting from point A to point B — they’re about reimagining how we move, interact with our environment, and care for our community.” We’d also like to acknowledge our previous Council, who under former Mayor Cr Anne-Marie Cade, got the project underway and engaged with the community.

Glen Eira City Council CEO Rebecca McKenzie wrote an article for Public Sector Network on the growing financial pressures in Local Government. We recently partnered with Bayside City Council to keep in-home aged care going for over 2,000 residents while protecting staff jobs and entitlements despite significant strain due to recent reforms from the Royal Commission into Aged Care. Despite the financial risks, we were determined to find a solution that would allow us to continue providing these valued services to our community. This collaboration shows how councils can pool resources and expertise to ease financial pressures and maintain high service standards. Find out more about how we made this happen: https://brnw.ch/21wPhg1