Johns River

The Johns River Community Progress Association was honoured with an Australia Day Award today in Taree.

At the ceremony in Council Chambers, the association president, David Shepard, accepted the 2012 Community Organisation of the Year from Council.

Following an address by Australia Day Ambassador Aden Ridgeway, the award was one of four given out to exemplary contributors to community.

In the Australia Day Award presentation, Council cited that “Drive, determination and a whole of community approach have been the key ingredients of success for this Association as they have engaged all spheres of Government to negotiate and progress better outcomes for their village following the bypass.”

“This led to the creation of a successful and robust village plan to develop and provide a village atmosphere through change, enhancement and economic prosperity for all the community.

“From grass roots approaches such as town hall meetings to the clever use of the latest available technology such as the pursuit of Village Transport and Tourism Stations, this Association has taken a proactive stance in charting its own future. This community association is always at the forefront of innovation and is certainly not afraid to challenge the boundaries, despite its relative isolation.”

David Shepard led a contingent representing the association, including Treasurer Joe Malvicino, Three Brothers Network Chair Lorri Fischer, and founding President, Glen Ferrero.  Mr. Shepard spoke after the award, highlighting the history and future of the association.

“Our progress association has a long history, formed in the late 1940s to help address community needs and community aspirations”, said Mr. Shepard.   “Our association’s first Jubilee Ball was at the Johns River Hall in 1953, and our last one was in 2010, as part of our 150^th Jubilee, celebrating one hundred and fifty years of village life, love, loss, and most importantly, our dreams.

“We thank the Greater Taree City Council for their most kind recognition this Australia Day, and we proudly accept this award to honour so many tireless volunteers who toil, who serve the tea and tie up the tree, who write the grants, who move the stone, and who carry the load for us all.

For those of you who haven’t noticed, we’ve moved the President’s report to the back page, just to make it plain that the Johns River Journal is more about community events and news than about anything I might have to say.

My ego is only slightly damaged from this “last cab in the rank” demotion.  I’ll live.

More Visible Progress

But, if you’re reading this, I should report on how pleased we all are to finally get another piece of the Village Plan going.  Yes, it’s annoying waiting for so long for some things, but the very boring and very slow process of planning and funding is always like that.

The first segment of the Village Boardwalk will commence at the end of this month.  This should be another nice piece of visible progress for our community, after the new playground, the shade sail structure there, the Koolyangarra pathways and rehabilitation, and the new picnic shelter on the hall grounds.

This is all of course, in addition to our Jubilee inco September, which was a lot of work for many villagers in its own right.

You Are All Invited!

If you’re at all curious about what exactly is going on, or have your own ideas or questions to put, you are invited to a Community Public Forum on the 16th of April at the hall.  It’s a Saturday, at 11am, so we hope you can make it. As per usual, you can pop the kids in the side supper room for the duration, so don’t let that stop you.