Community to celebrate planning program

MEREDITH residents are being invited by Golden Plains Shire officers to celebrate the launch of their community plan next week.

The launch will be held on Thursday 15 August from 9.30am to 11am at Meredith Community Centre.

Residents can get involved with the planning process, provide feedback and see the progress made by Meredith Community Coordinators so far.

Cheryl Gilbert, one of five coordinators currently involved with the project, said the Golden Plains Shire and Non Profit Training staff have provided great support throughout the planning stages.

“I thought I could do my bit for the community if I became a coordinator,” she said.

“It’s been, I’m not going to say an easy process, but an interesting process as there was a certain number of criteria that had to be met.

“They made the process easy to understand and easy to achieve.”

One of the projects the coordinators have decided on is supporting Meredith Market to get up and running, and there are others still in the planning stages.

“The top priority projects identified and listed in the Meredith community plan include improving recreational spaces and amenities in Meredith, establishing a community market, installing a welcome to Meredith sign and developing a local program of community activities and events,” said Golden Plains Shire mayor Cr Brett Cunningham.

“A number of advocacy projects are also listed in the Meredith community plan and include access to medical centres and services, road conditions and road safety, transport services and safer pedestrian movements.”

Ms Gilbert encouraged locals to come along to the launch to have a say on future activities.

“I think its important in small towns such as Meredith and the others around the shire to have community activities,” she said.

“There was a survey put out which encouraged the townspeople to have some input in what they would like to see in the town.

“If they attend the meeting it gives them another chance to have input into what they want to have.”

The community planning program aims to provide residents in Golden Plains Shire with a chance to identify things that need to be done and create visibility for funding opportunities.