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Wednesday, June 29, 2016
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Ida inducted as Rotary governor
She may only be little, but new Rotary District Governor Ida Portella is a force to be reckoned with. At a packed dinner last Saturday night the Mareeba business woman was officially inducted as the youngest ever Rotary District Governor for district 9550. Rotary International District 9550 is one of the most diverse Rotary districts in the world, covering 1.2 million square kilometres, which includes north Queensland, the Northern Territory and Timor Leste. The night was a joint celebration for the district and Mareeba Rotary with a combined changeover. Nina Akselsen Grant handed over the reigns to new Mareeba Rotary president Stephen Gear and Dr Matt Jacob was awarded Rotarian of the Year for his dedication to rotary and the community. Pictured: Past District Governor Peter Kaye from Townsville, 2016-2017 District Governor Ida Portella and Immediate Past District Governor Mike Woods from Cairns.
Splashback against pool By Michael Serenc A POOL shut down in Ravenshoe more than 15 years ago has brought into question the need to spend millions on a new one. Former Herberton Shire councillor Jane Rodwell claimed her former council could not afford to keep Ravenshoe’s previous pool, which was shut down more than 15 years ago. Local lobby group Ravenshoe Rural Activities Incorporating Sustainable Energy (RAISE) wants to build an eight-lane, 25m swimming pool in the town, which would cost about $3.6 million. “When I was at council, the sports and recreation department was pulling their hair out
because it utterly and absolutely wasn’t up to scratch,” said Ms Rodwell. Built around 1980 on council land, the old 10m by 5m outdoor pool was mainly used in the summer months by school children learning to swim. It was funded by several community members and the now-defunct National Fitness Council. Volunteers continued to run to the pool until its demise. Ms Rodwell said not long after the closure of the original pool, RAISE members approached her council with their proposal. “We didn’t have any money to give them because we had a collapsing sewerage scheme, it
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was one of the oldest in the state and needed rebuilding,” she said. “But we gave them some land that they still have for the proposed pool.” Ms Rodwell said after her council was amalgamated in 2008, money saved for a new sewerage system was rolled into the newly created Tableland Shire Council (TRC). TRC has since committed to building a replacement $5 million sewerage system for Ravenshoe, with works set to begin next year. Kool Moon Motel co-owner Heather Barney, whose late mother Oralene Glendinning donated money to build the original pool, supported RAISE’s push for a new pool in Ravenshoe.
“I think it would be great, I would use it,” she said. “But it’s going to take a mighty effort to get the money from government. “I take my hat off to RAISE president Doreen Mortimore because she’s done so much to try and get it.” If built, the pool would be indoors and heated, aiming to be used for not just swimming but physical rehabilitation and recovery. Both Tablelands mayor Joe Paronella and Division 2 councillor Annette Haydon have previously expressed reservations over the project, concerned about the burden put on ratepayers to fund the project.
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