MORE than two years of lobbying and planning by Merino Digby Lions have come to fruition, with the official opening of the town’s new barbecue shelter, at the old showgrounds.


With new toilet facilities and a wide open space for parking, the showgrounds is now well-publicised and well-used as an RV-friendly, free camping ground for visitors, however until last week, the impressive-looking Colourbond toilet block was the end of facilities available to visitors.


“We did have the building, know as ‘The Old Boozer’ that was the bar area for many years, but it was tiny and the building had become a total eyesore and a very poor advert for our town, adjacent to our very well used, RV-friendly, free camping area,” Merino Digby Lions President, Shirley Menz said at the opening of the new barbecue facilities.


“As you can see, we have now got this beautiful new shelter here for our visitors to enjoy.


“Merino Progress (Association) investigated the idea a few years ago, but to no avail and they just left it go.


“Merino Digby Lions Club voted to make this our project, we did our groundwork, the costing, then it was the issue of permission, to build on land controlled by Glenelg Shire Council.”


Following two years of lobbying, with support from Councillor Karen Stephens and funding from the Federal Government, via the council, then planning and construction, the new shelter was officially unveiled and put to its first test, last week.


With double barbecue, fixed steel seating and one open side to allow a large crowd to take advantage, Mrs Menz said the new facility was a huge asset for the town.


“It’s located perfectly at the edge of this nice big open space where our visitors park and far enough but not too far from the toilets, so people can have really easy access to all the facilities,” Mrs Menz said.


Around 30 residents and council staff celebrated the opening of the new shelter, with a dinner to christen the barbecues.