SEVERAL members of the Derwent Valley Council undertook a site inspection at Willow Court today. Mayor Martyn Evans, Deputy Mayor Craig Farrell and Councillors Barry Lathey, James Graham, Scott Shaw and myself had a good look around the oval precinct - which includes the sportsground and four major adjacent buildings.
One or two of my councillor colleagues mentioned that this should have been done a long time ago, and I certainly don't disagree. It also served as an impromptu brainstorming session and the ideas came thick and fast. I believe that Mayor Evans will set aside most of a future council workshop to document those ideas we came up with today - and more. I will let you know when that session is held, so you can join in and share your ideas for the site.
What did we talk about? Heaps. A men's shed. A community arts centre. A home for the Derwent Valley Players. A "middle school". Cheap rooms for artists, potters, weavers, anyone arty. A gallery space. Restaurants and cafes. A man in a van selling chips and handing out leaflets. Krispy Kreme doughnuts. And the biggie: Regular open days at the barracks sooner rather than later; not wishing our lives away while waiting for a multi-million dollar development. What are your ideas? Share them here as feedback or send me an email.
After our look around Willow Court we reconvened at the courthouse for a working bee to establish a councillor's room there. While there we chatted with two members of the Derwent Valley Regional Arts about their ideas for Willow Court.
From there, Crs Evans, Farrell and myself went for a look at the nearly completed performance stage at Tynwald Park (Cr Shaw had been there earlier in the day). It's not the sound shell we were promised, but it's a bigger and more useful stage which will be enclosed at a later date.
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I like some of the ideas you mentioned, not too keen on Krispy Kreme - hardly suitable for an Australian heritage site - and what is with the "man in the van selling chips & handing out leaflets"? If food is to be sold then it should be quality Tasmanian produce not mass produced rubbish from overseas, we have enough take away food shops in this town to satisfy the most ardent junk food addict (bar McDonalds of course, and don't even consider that as an option!)
ReplyDeleteSomething that would engage the younger members of our community too; if they feel ownership over the site they are less likely to vandalise it.