Mayor drops into RSL to chat local issues

HEATHCOTE RSL happy hour was visited by City of Greater Bendigo mayor Cr Thomas Prince last week who met with residents and gave them an opportunity to air grievances.

The visit was organised by RSL member Pam Thomas.

“There are many people in Heathcote who feel we are being ignored,” said Thomas.

“I thought that by inviting the mayor to a gathering of residents it would give him a chance to…hear our voices.

“We pay our share of rates too, and we feel we are not getting our fair share in return.

“I felt that by meeting with a group of us he would see that we are real people with real concerns.”

Thomas presented Cr Prince with three A4 pages listing some of the issues residents would like to see attended to.

“Some of the things people are unhappy with include our footpaths, weeds, getting rid of bindiis so kids don’t keep getting punctured bike tyres, the leaking RSL hall roof, the pool and the Bibi Bibi project,” she said.

“We don’t have all the facilities Bendigo has but we would like to see what we do have well maintained and serviced.”

Thomas also gave Cr Prince some suggestions she collected from residents about services they would like to see.

“It would be nice to have a bus service to Bendigo when they hold the moonlight markets,” she said.

“Many older residents don’t want to drive at night when the kangaroos are very active.”

Cr Prince mingled and chatted with RSL members throughout the evening.

“Cr Prince said he will look into the issues we raised and email me back,” Thomas said.

“It would be great to have him back again and he would be very welcome.”