Opinion: The Standard letters to the editor | January 29, 2022

For many years I have attended the Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic and I enjoy everything around the event. Now I know not everyone in the region may share my passion, but with the millions this annual event brings in - to particularly Warrnambool - maybe more should.

The Premier Speedway Club throws everything at this event each January to make it the most prestigious sprintcar meeting in Australia and last weekend was no exception, albeit with now-minimal volunteers and often not much offered up from Warrnambool City Council.

I was, however, left a little pleased by the reaction from mayor Richard Ziegeler to something I said in a positive story in The Standard last Friday about needing the promotional Sprint Car Racing flags up and flying on the flagpoles on Raglan Parade.

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To my surprise, a phone call from Cr Ziegeler just prior to the opening night's racing at the Classic, told me "the flags are up, and they look fantastic".

It felt a small win for many and what a great and very easy way to promote one of our biggest events - particularly during COVID times.

The feedback I received after this - both at the speedway and around town - has been fantastic, all over around 20 flags!

I would like to thank the mayor, the people who put up the flags, The Standard's superb coverage and the many people and sponsors of the western district who support the Classic. We need this event and the club needs volunteers also to keep it going into the future.

I really hope more promotion and quicker and more forward communication from council and maybe other tourism bodies could happen towards such events.

Next year is the 50th running of the Classic and is already highly anticipated by not only Australians but many Americans and other parts of the speedway world, so let's embrace how far it has come for the sport and really does put this beautiful region on the map for at least three days.

Geoff Rounds, Warrnambool

I wish to correct an article in Tuesday's edition of The Standard containing comments on the initiation of the Lake Pertobe project. This was the inspiration of the then-City engineer Mr E. Johnson in the late 1960s, supported by the councilors and town clerk Mr K. Arnel.

In 1971 "the first sod was turned" when Cr S. Brown arranged to have the long swampy grass on the north side of Pertobe Road slashed and mowed. This was used for a period as a practice golf driving range.

Soon after this dragline was hired to operate on pontoons to deepen two lakes and create the islands, walking tracks, construct bridges and beautification, supervised by Mr F. Cornell and myself.

With no disrespect to Cr R. Barham and Mr V. Robson these gentlemen came years later with the project well-established, and with the continued improvement since then has become one of the jewels in the crown of Warrnambool.

Don Carter, Warrnambool

I write with feelings of surprise and disgust re the playing of an unvaccinated player in bowls causing a fully compliant team to lose points forfeiting as they didn't wish to put their elderly team at risk.

Where is the common sense of Bowls Victoria and the only local club in playing an unvaccinated player when a no-jab policy applies in AFL, tennis, licensed clubs and restaurants?

Bowls is a game where there are a lot of elderly participants - a vulnerable part of the community much more than the young and fit tennis and AFL players.

For a club manager to "appreciate the decision but not understand the reasoning", where has he been the last year-and-a-half? Doesn't he see the irresponsible risks involved to others or doesn't he care?

Michael Page, Warrnambool

In many Australian coastal regions we have visited, the foreshore areas cater for the local community and the visitors who come - it is not a haven for introduced vermin.

Surely the beautiful foreshore we have can accommodate both the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning and be an asset to Warrnambool? At present it is very under-utilised.

Unfortunately, any proposals put forward to develop the beach precinct seem to be shut down by DEWLP with little consultation with the public.

How can a few bureaucrats wield so much power?

Ken Sadler, Warrnambool

We definitely don't need private facilities down around the foreshore. It could be beautified for all to enjoy. Maybe more parking for Stingray Bay swimmers and parkland/picnic areas. Put the horse facility at Thunder Point. It's already there - it just needs an upgrade. We need to preserve all the green as much as we can. Support the Lawn Tennis - they do a great job.

Roslyn Turner, Warrnambool

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