Parkes Phoenix Editor

Forbes Shire Council has secured major funding for local community infrastructure with more than $430,000 announced by Parliamentary Secretary for Western NSW, Rick Colless last week.

Forbes Shire Mayor, Graeme Miller has warmly welcomed the funding announcement for the three major local projects in the Forbes Shire, each receiving $100,000 or more.

“Council’s Grants Officer, Andrew Rawsthorne has been working closely with several community groups to secure this funding for projects they have specifically designed. He has in fact been working with one group for more than two years to bring their project to fruition,” Graeme said.

Rick announced the funding as part of round one of the NSW Government’s Stronger Country Communities Fund with more than $2.6 million awarded to projects in the Orange electorate. Round two has now opened with applications closing 4th May.

As part of the major renovations and modernisation being undertaken at the Forbes Youth and Community Centre (YACC), a new bike riding track will be installed to allow young children to learn the road rules in a safe environment. Concepts for the improvement, new equipment and designs were developed in conjunction with Forbes Playgroup and Toy Library, who worked closely with Council to prepare the grant application.

Several improvements have already begun, including restoring the floorboards in the main hall, upgrading disabled access, power cleaning the bathrooms and a clean out of the current storeroom with unused goods being donated to the local organisations. Now with a further $100,000 larger scale improvements can be started to increase the YACC capacity, safety and appeal to many more community groups.

“While the Youth and Community Centre is a practical venue it has become somewhat dilapidated due to the high level of activity and use. This funding will see a modern new facility to support ongoing growth and will allow us to continue to support young families in Forbes,” Graeme said.

In the largest funding announcement for Forbes, $231,629.57 has been granted for an overall $400,000 project to build the new Forbes Men’s Shed.

“The Forbes Men’s Shed is vital in our community and these new funds will allow the group to greatly expand. Specialised skills based groups will be able to meet and the new facility will enable the group to work with younger and disadvantaged men,” Graeme said.

The final announcement for $102,092 is for the Bedgerabong Recreation Grounds upgrade. Two new pavilions funded through this project will be immediately utilised to support the Bedgerabong Picnic Races, the Bedgerabong Show, the Bedgerabong Country Music Muster, stud livestock sales as well as trade and market days.

As well as the pavilions, a telephone line will be connected at the hall and the kitchen will be upgraded. A 22,500 water tank and stand will also be erected on the grounds.

 

 

 

It all started in 2007 when Rev Lynn Bullard of the Anglican Church, while attending a conference in Sydney, mentioned that the church in Forbes had just started an outreach for children. Ray and Di Flint heard this and expressed an interest in assisting with the ministry.

After training with the Church Army, Captain Ray took on the leadership of Church in the Schoolyard in 2008. The outreach was grateful for the use of the Forbes North School grounds and the involvement of volunteer helpers from many of the churches in Forbes.

Students from the TAFE cooking class provided hot meals and the Uniting Church provided sandwiches for lunch for one Sunday per month. Weekly Wednesday night gatherings also commenced and were guided by Ray and Di.

In 2010, Forbes Shire Council offered the use of the disused Guide Hall in Johnson Street for the ministry at a nominal rent and provided fencing for the block. Local tradesmen and volunteers worked alongside Ray doing up the hall and fitting the kitchen and the old hall which is now very functional and well used each week.

The Church in the Schoolyard is now known as Northside Chapel and is jointly funded by the Anglican and Uniting Churches with donations from other churches and local people.

In 2015, Ray and Di retired and the Northside Chapel ministry was continued by Rex and Rachel Taylor.

The Northside Chapel brings games and Bible stories to young people in the area. Rex collects the young people each week from their homes by bus, every second Sunday in the month and every Wednesday, and they are returned home afterwards.

The gathering is growing and the aging bus, which is now too small and has outlived its usefulness, needs to be replaced with a bigger bus.

To raise funds for the bigger bus the Chapel committee have decided on a sheep drive and are asking producers to give a lamb or sheep on sale day, the 10th April. Contact Ian Thomas for further information on 6851 4350 or visit “Greenbank” 8461 Lachlan Valley Way, Forbes.

The Forbes Arts Society received some good news on Monday when Shooters Fishers and Farmers MP Philip Donato, announced their success in applying for a 2017 Community Building Partnership grant.

Philip presented members of the Forbes Arts Society with a cheque for $3,768, which is the amount they sought to build 15 demountable structures to provide shade and shelter for caterers at the ‘Grazing Down The Lachlan’ event which attracts visitors from a wide area.

“I am pleased to be visiting Forbes to make this announcement and that the Forbes Arts Society has received the full amount outlined in their grant application,” said Philip.

“Grazing Down the Lachlan’ has developed into a very successful event, thanks to the vision and hard work of Forbes residents and they are to be congratulated.”

Chair of ‘Grazing Down the Lachlan’, Wendy Muffet said the organisation is delighted to hear the news that the shade structures will be funded with the assistance of the Community Building Partnership  grants program.

“This funding for the shade structures is such a boost for us and will ensure we can continue to add value to our event without us having to find the finance and we are looking forward to another successful event this year,” she said.

The event will be held on 22nd September at the 9 Mile Reserve on the banks of the Lachlan.