Super seniors – October 2019 in review

To the hoop – Thursday, 10 October edition

DURING Seniors Week the city recognised some of Ballarat’s best for their service to the community over decades.

Margaret Potter was named Senior of the Year, Dawn Fischer received the Volunteering Award and Yvon Davis the Diversity Award.

Ms Potter got the nod, in part, due to her lengthy involvement with the Ballarat Basketball Association.

A life member of the Association, she’s also a qualified referee, has served on committees and supported the Lady Miners and youth teams behind the scenes.

“When you think of all the things that you’ve done, at the time it was always a pleasure, but you wonder how you fit it all in,” she said. “It’s a great honour to be chosen.

“As far as basketball is concerned, it’s the same as any sport, one you love it you’re just there all the time.”

 

New home for hospice – Thursday, 10 October edition

Ballarat Hospice Care cut the ribbon on its new multi-million-dollar facility in Alfredton.

The built-for-purpose palliative care hub on Sturt Street, included private, comfortable consultation rooms specifically designed for difficult family discussions, a bereavement counselling service, a reflective garden with benches and a water feature, and appropriate storage space for plenty of palliative care equipment.

Ballarat Hospice Care char Geoff Russell said the move from Ballarat south was a community driven project a decade in the making and the new building would accommodate the next 25 years of growth.

“Ten years ago, we realised we could no longer fit into Drummond Street. We’ve had to be patient, knock on doors… You name it, we’ve done it,” he said. “I can see 250 people being cared for at any one time in the not too distant future, perhaps onto 300.

“The word is out, if you’re faced with life threatening illness, Ballarat Hospice Care is the place for you. It’s owned by the community, for the community and it’s of the community.”

 

So much CFA service – Thursday, 17 October edition

Thirteen members of the Bungaree Rural Fire Brigade were acknowledged for a combined 455 years of service to the district, brigade and wider CFA.

Bill Labbett and Kevin Hanrahan were presented with a CFA Service Medal for 60 years of commitment to the organisation. They were also made life members of the Bungaree Brigade.

Both men, who farm near Bungaree, have given many hours of service and leadership over their 60 years.

“As a landowner in the town there was an expectation that you would help the community where and whenever you could,” Mr Labbett said. “As a CFA member, our number one responsibility was to preserve life.

“We were good at putting the fires out but we probably didn’t fill in the paper work as we should have.”

Mr Labbett confessed he got back to the fire station after one callout and realised he had left Mr Hanrahan behind.

 

Book awarded – Thursday, 24 October edition

Phil Roberts’s book Avenue of Memories received the prestigious Victorian Premier’s History Award.

“I was pleasantly surprised. I wasn’t at all expecting to have the main prize,” he said.

The book looks at the 100-plus year story of the city’s Arch of Victory and The Avenue, the longest of its type in Australia.

“You wouldn’t imagine you could write a 250-page book about an avenue of trees, but there’s just so much over 100 years,” Mr Roberts said.

“The actual planning itself is a strong story. The building of The Arch’s funds mainly came from the first women’s football match in Victoria, which was in 1918 at the Eastern Oval.

 

There’s a mayor in there – Thursday, 31 October edition

It was one of the worst kept secrets in the municipality, but there was a move to unseat the City of Ballarat for three years Cr Samantha McIntosh.

Weeks of wrangling and counting numbers resulted in seven of the nine councillors nominating for the top job.

In the days before the vote and in the face of a strong push to unseat her, Cr McIntosh remained resolute.

“I have no intention of stepping down from the role,” she said. “With such significant success, that we haven’t seen for years on council, I feel very confident in this space and feel that we need to keep that same momentum going.”

Cr Amy Johnson, who had supported Cr McIntosh 12 months before, took to social media to announce her support for Cr Ben Taylor.

“I firmly believe he is the best person to lead us into our final year of council,” she said.

In the end it didn’t matter how many councillors nominated for mayor as Cr Taylor reached the simple majority on the first vote and ascended to the top job. Cr Belinda Coates was successful in achieving support to become deputy.

“It was just an opportunity that came up and I thought at the end, why not?” Cr Taylor said. “So here I am today, having the support of the councillors, which is the big thing, to be able to put my hand up and have their support to be the Mayor for the city.”