Maps on the table at Hinds Street community meeting

Maps outlining a potential footpath, proper street lighting, and bus shelters marked a step forward for the Hinds Street Project meeting.

The most recent of three community meetings held at Winanga-Li House was well-attended by the community and local shire council members as well as local police Chief Inspector Robert Dunn.

The community group led by Marilyn Binge was formed after Bill Chiplin and Joe Trindall’s petition to clean up Hinds Street saw the support of over 350 community members and caught the attention of councillor John Clements. Since then, the group has received support from council, Summit Housing, and other groups who work in the Hinds Street area to come up with a plan to tidy up the neighbourhood and facilitate more activities for the local kids.

Having set the main priorities for a safer road, group members marked out proposed locations for appropriate street lighting, a footpath, and bus shelters along Hinds Street and presented them to council members.

Deputy mayor Darrell Tiemens who attended his first meeting considered the group’s efforts to attain funding and seek collaboration to work with the council to be commendable.

“People deserve the right to have civic pride and feel good about where they live,” said Cr Tiemens.

“We all deserve to feel safe in the community in which we live and have access to basic amenities like safe and well-lit footpaths, and bringing these up to a solid standard is very important,” said Cr Tiemens.

“Improving the amenities of all areas of our towns needs to be a focus of this council.

“And encouraging activities where young children can participate without feeling endangered is something we all want.”

While all plans are currently contingent on attaining state funding, shire council members as well as Member for Barwon Roy Butler’s office have all offered support in identifying potential grant opportunities to help put the plans into action.

Cr Tiemens remarked on the initiative taken by surrounding community members who have taken ownership of the project.

“The most successful projects in our towns and areas are the ones driven by local communities working with the Shire to seek solutions and unlock funding sources together,” said Cr Tiemens.