Councillor Column: Welcome to the north

THAT hazy time between Christmas and the first week or so of January is behind us.

Presents have been lovingly wrapped and hastily unwrapped, food has been savoured and resolutions have been made (and potentially already broken!).

I’ve cherished the downtime with my sons, husband and extended family, after another hectic year in which many of us were separated from loved ones.

It’s also been important to switch off a bit from the negative news, and focus on and enjoy what we have in the here and now – which is exactly what I’ll be doing in this column

A big positive has been the new fenced dog park at Hovells Creek Reserve in Lara.

It opened just before Christmas and has been immediately popular with local dogs and their owners.

There are nearly 3,000 registered dogs in Lara alone, with the isolation of lockdowns prompting many to seek companionship from a four-legged friend.

I can see this facility providing a lot of joy (and tail wags) for years to come.

There are a range of elements that will challenge your dog, such as balance beams, weave poles, a tunnel and hurdles.

If your pet has a tendency to get a bit shy, the park is still worth a visit as there are separate spaces for passive and active dogs.

I had the chance to meet with Wadawurrung Traditional Owner and artist Billy-Jay O’Toole and check out the drinking fountain installed in the park.

It features Billy-Jay’s original artwork that recognises the Wadawurrung People as the Traditional Owners of the Land, Waterways and Skies.

Billy-Jay told us that his piece highlights the importance of caring for Country and the inscriptions will raise awareness among visitors of Wadawurrung values.

Have you ever heard the phrase “Looking forward to things is half the pleasure of them”?

I wholeheartedly agree with Anne of Green Gables (perhaps a good read for the kids this summer?), as looking forward to things has served me well, not just during lockdowns but generally in life.

With that in mind, I want to put a few exciting projects for Geelong’s north on your radar.

Construction of a new netball and tennis pavilion at Lara Recreation Reserve is set to get underway early this year, after the contract was awarded to MKM Constructions.

The site has been established and our sporty locals could be enjoying accessible and gender neutral changerooms, social spaces, a kitchen and shelter by September.

The contract for building two netball and tennis courts is likely to be locked in by February and ready for action in October.

This $2.75 million project, funded by the council and Victorian Government, is part of Stage 1 of the Lara Recreation Reserve Master Plan.

This progress means a lot to the clubs which lack adequate facilities to support their growing member bases.

In fact our netballers are currently based on courts within Lara Secondary College and operating out of two shipping containers.

The new facilities have the potential to not only boost morale and attract new members, but translate to more wins on the court.

As a Lara local, I really can’t wait to see the end result.

And of course there’s our landmark community facility – the Northern Aquatic and Community Hub – that’s due to start construction at the Waterworld site in Norlane soon.

This is a major milestone for a project that’s forecast to produce $111 million in preventative health benefits during its first 10 years of operation.

I’m talking a first-class facility that will address significant health issues of our northern residents through aquatic, wellbeing and community services and experiences.

The council felt so strongly about this project that we provided the majority of funding ($44.84 million) to get this off the ground, supported by funding from the Victorian and Australian governments.

This hub is a symbol of hope for the northern suburbs and broader Geelong region and we can’t wait to see the positive impact it will have.

Cr Kylie Grzybek

Windermere Ward, City of Greater Geelong