The Mount Gambier and District Residents and Ratepayers Association has received a copy of the “Mount Gambier – 2035 – A community vision for our regional capital” document from council.
Let me thank and congratulate the community members who put in such time and effort, over many months, to inform this vision for our community going forward.
It is a fantastic inspirational blueprint for the future development of our community.
Now however comes the daunting task for council to make these goals a reality for the community.
It is fine to have a plan, but it is the actual physical realisation of the plan the community wants to see.
One of the goals expressed in this document (as a priority) is “Infrastructure and Services”.
Our fledgling association has been focusing on this area over the last 12 months, particularly in relation to council’s “Disability and Inclusion Plan”.
We have all heard the political mantra of “no-one left behind” (particularly around election time), yet we would question how we provide for our most vulnerable members of our community.
Independence and inclusion are more than buzz words to be included in a glossy brochure, they are a measure of our worth as a community.
We have been chipping away at many issues brought to our attention and some successes have been installation of bus stop signage, changes to bus stops for safety and access.
Other things like leaving the council portico lights on for the visually impaired, or the stopping locking the doors of the council building for people with mobility issues during public meetings, to name a few.
These may be considered trivial to many readers, but the impact and improvement in the lives of people who live with a disability in our community cannot stressed enough.
Independence and inclusion should be a focus of the council in the coming years, particularly with our ageing population.
This is our first monthly column in the SE Voice, and we hope to keep the community regularly informed of our many other activities.
Updates can also be seen on our Facebook page.
We can also be contacted by email on mgrrassoc@gmail.com.
Di Ind
Chairman
Mount Gambier and District Residents and Ratepayers Association
