The Rotary Club of Goulburn Argyle has enlisted small business operators to give the Crescent School in Goulburn a safer car park. Before and after school cars, buses and people mix in the school’s car park, at risk of an accident.
President Mick Cooper says in future a solar-powered boom gate will restrict buses entering the car park to one at a time within the access area.
Cars will have a shorter, more direct access and egress to the car park, and three flag poles and new shrubs will create a natural barrier to discourage people from taking a short cut through a garden beyond the car park.
Planning, labour and materials are worth about $30,000, but actual costs are minimal thanks to volunteers, including tree and earth moving contractors.
Mr Cooper says the people providing skills and equipment, who are not members of Rotary are typical of many businessmen who would like to help Rotary, but at the end of a busy day want to be at home with their families.
So they have joined a regular breakfast meeting for about an hour before work, where community projects are planned.
As well as 18 members, Argyle Rotary now has an alliance with the small business community. Among the non members is Aaron Meylan, who disposed of about 30 dieback-affected eucalypts and pine trees around the Crescent School car park.
“People like Aaron from Aaron’s Tree Removal and John Fitzgibbon from JFC Contracting, they are all interested in Rotary but have not got time to be there weekly. So they become Friends of Rotary,’’ Mr Cooper said.
“We can put our hands to most trades through a Friends of Rotary group that we have formed. We meet with them on Tuesday mornings once a month, instead of a regular Rotary meeting at night,’’ he said.
“A lot of retired people go to Rotary. Tuesday nights is no problem to them, but Tuesday night for people who work all day, haven’t seen the family, there’s a problem,’’ Mr Cooper said.
A Friends In Business network, including Kylie Isbester, Shaun Carnes and Jacquie Howard joined the breakfast and networking this month.
Mr Cooper says bringing in more people gives Rotary the expertise to overcome issues.
The club and friends have re-coated decking and refurbished seating for the Crescent School, and built a herb and flower garden, play area stocked with pots and pans that the kids bang together to make a noise. They have built a sandpit and will cover it later with a shade cloth.
Goulburn Pre-School is making the most of Rotary being in the neighbourhood, and its cubby house will receive a facelift from the Friends of Rotary group.
The club donated more than $23,000 to educational, health and international causes in the past year and has elected Mick Pearson 2017/18 president.
Caption: Ian Gerathy and Rotary Club of Goulburn Argyle members Mick Pearson and Mick Cooper at breakfast at the Tattersalls Hotel. Photo: John Thistleton.
Loading ...
