Mayoral Column 3 November 2014
Published on 03 November 2014
Mayor elect for 2014/2015
On Tuesday, 28 October my fellow councillors bestowed upon me the great honour of Mayor elect 2014/2015.
In making this decision, the Council has asked me to lead this great organisation and this vibrant community for a further 12 months.
I will be formally elected as Mayor at the Council’s Statutory Meeting to be held at 7.30pm on Wednesday, 12 November at the Senior Citizens Centre, Kerr Street Wedderburn.
I would genuinely like as many community members that can make it to attend. So, I extend a warm invitation to the entire Loddon community to witness the installation of the Mayor, which will be followed by a small celebration.
Serpentine Hall’s $500,000 boost
Serpentine Hall will receive a facelift, after a generous contribution from the state government.
The Victorian Government will invest $500,000 from its $1 billion Regional Growth Fund towards the Serpentine Community Hub project.
Minister for Regional and Rural Development Peter Ryan made the announcement on Saturday.
The multi-functional community hub at Janiember Park will undergo a facelift, which will include extending the building’s footprint, updating amenities including toilets, commercial kitchen, and storage along with expanding the hall’s social space and improving areas for community use such as childcare and seniors activities.
The funding will also go towards new car parking and landscaping to link indoor and outdoor spaces.
This hall is central to the Serpentine community. In early 2011 the facility was used as a place of refuge for flood affected families.
It is important that facilities in the Loddon Shire, like the Serpentine Hall, are upgraded to ensure future use for generations to come, just as many of the halls served the generations that came before.
Wedderburn community celebrates
The Wedderburn Community Centre had its official opening last weekend, with Minister Peter Walsh conducting the proceedings.
Minister Walsh opened the $1.75 million project, which will boost the region, and provide an area for residents to access services and participate in community groups.
This centre will stand the test of time, and provides the community with a brand new facility.
The Victorian Government provided $400,000 through the Regional Growth Fund, the Commonwealth Government supported the project with $851,450, Loddon Shire Council was proud to invest $300,000 with a further $200,000 coming from Inglewood and Districts Health Service and Wedderburn Community House.
As the Loddon Shire Mayor, I am very proud of what the region has been able to achieve with the generous support of state and federal governments.
The development included onsite parking, a new tourism office, two interview rooms for visiting services, two improved multi-purpose rooms, two meeting rooms and a consulting room for the Inglewood and Districts Health Service.
The centre will create employment opportunities and enhance the services the centre provides.
Wedderburn Community House, Loddon Tourism, Centrelink, VicRoads, Inglewood and Districts Health Service and community groups operate from the centre.
Loddon’s walking and cycling boost
Twelve walking and cycling trails are set for further promotion to visitors, with a state government funding boost to assist Council’s tracks and trails network.
The Loddon Shire Tracks and Trails project will see the installation of signs along the Shire’s trails, and brochures to promote the trails to the region’s visitors.
The $55,000 project will be funded as a joint initiative, recently saw Minister for Roads Terry Mulder announcing $25,000 from the Transport Investing in Regions fund, with Loddon Shire Council contributing the $30,000 from the existing trails signage budget.
The trails set to receive the trail head signs and promotion material are located at Pyramid Hill, Little Lake Boort, Serpentine Pon Pon Reserve, Bridgewater Riverside, Inglewood Botanic Gardens, Bullabul Track between Inglewood and Bridgewater, Wedderburn Nardoo and Reservoir Trails, Tarnagulla Town Heritage Walk, Cemetery Track and Reservoir Track along with the Laanecoorie River Trail.
The partnership between local and state government has ensured this project can go not just one step, but two steps further.
Loddon businesses will benefit from the project as it aims to enhance local tourism through encouraging new visitors to the region.
For more information visit the Council website at www.loddon.vic.gov.au/Live/Community-facilities/Walking-and-Cycling-Trails.
Wedderburn netball tennis court upgrade
The Wedderburn netball tennis court is one step closer to meeting safety guidelines, after a generous donation from the state government.
Council will receive $59,699 to upgrade the Donaldson Park Recreation Reserve court, through the 2015/2016 Community Facility Fund.
Minister for Sport and Recreation Damian Drum made the announcement on Thursday.
The Wedderburn Netball Club has two netball courts. One court was recently constructed to meet Netball Victoria guidelines.
However, the second court is 40 years old, uneven, cracking and failing to meet Netball Victoria guidelines.
The generous donation will go towards lifting the standards in terms of required runoff distances and impediments.
The substantial state government donation will provide the Wedderburn Netball Club with safer facilities.
The funding is an investment into grass roots sports and will provide participation opportunities in the off season and in times of drought when grass tennis courts are unable to be used.
The court will be excavated to make way for the new hard-court surface to meet Netball Victoria and Tennis Victoria standards.
A coach’s box and two pole floodlighting systems will also be installed.