Tuesday, 28 January, 2025
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Yarra Ranges Council’s Community Awards winners with mayor Jim Child (right). (Dongyun Kwon: 455025)
Locals with collective decades of experience contributing to the Yarra Ranges Community have been awarded for their passion and commitment, as part of the Council’s Community Awards handed out on Australia Day. The awards, announced following the Council’s Australia Day 2025 Citizenship Ceremony on 26 January, recognised volunteering, environmental protection and advocacy for vulnerable community members. Yarra Ranges Mayor Jim Child congratulated the award winners for their efforts. “Every year, we select community members who have put in an outstanding amount of effort to help others, and I’m proud of this year’s cohort of winners,” Cr Child said. “Year-on-year, what binds our winners together is a genuine care for others; a want to make the world better, and the willingness to put their hands up to make it happen. It’s a really special thing when people go the extra mile for others or put consistent work in to make our little corner of the world better than it was before. Starting from page 5
Tennis club lighting is a ‘huge mess’ as...
Frustration grows Emerald Tennis Club president Nadia Beardshaw has voiced her frustrations over ongoing issues with grant funding, particularly regarding the club’s long-awaited lighting upgrades. While the club has benefitted from smaller grants for uniforms, funding for new lights on the
tennis courts has been less successful. “We received funding for new lighting, but it turned out to be a huge mess,” Ms Beardshaw said. Despite years of effort, the new lights were found to be unsuitable, with some courts still non-compliant.
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The club has had to pay for independent testing of the lights after concerns were ignored by the local council. Despite the challenges, Ms Beardshaw remains committed to pushing for a resolution but stresses the grant system needs urgent reform. To continue reading, turn to page 14
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“The poles are too high, and the light distribution is all over the place,” she said. Ms Beardshaw also criticised the mismanagement of funds, claiming part of the lighting grant was redirected to other local sports clubs. “The money was meant for us, but it ended up funding the football and cricket clubs instead,” she said.
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