I didn’t realise that Jubilee Park, Woodford, even existed, yet I was lucky enough to be invited out this week to view a wonderful example of a community having worked together.
Congratulations must go to the Jubilee Park Committee and their chairperson, Tricia Blakeslee, along with the communities of Bushfield and Woodford who have made this reserve a fantastic place.
It’s great to see Warrnambool City Council supporting the community to clean up the river, plant sustainable native vegetation, build a causeway and maintain the tennis courts.
The next step in the project is putting in a playground. It would be fantastic to have future funding for a proper car park in an area where parents already drop their children off to walk through the park to school.
With toilet and barbecue facilities added, this would then become a complete serviced facility for the communities of Woodford, Bushfield and indeed the wider community of Warrnambool.
In thinking forward, another exciting initiative would be to link Woodford to Warrnambool by cleaning up the river from the willows to allow canoe and kayak access right though to the city.
Further recreational access to Warrnambool would also be achieved by adding a bike and walking track along the river banks.
Jubilee Park is situated amongst the school and the river.
Over the river is Jellie’s Reserve, another park which has been created and where a tree and plaque “in loving memory of Peter Jellie” is growing beautifully.
If elected to council this is exactly the type of community project I would relish to be involved with — communities working together to create sustainable spaces, encouraging our children to walk, ride and play outdoors and having easily accessible sporting facilities.
In the meantime, I’m taking my family for a picnic and a game of tennis!
Kylie Gaston, Henna Street, Warrnambool