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proudly serving Sunbury and Macedon Ranges
15 MARCH, 2022
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A wheelie good time Pupils at Gisborne Primary School are set to have a wheelie good time as they take part in National Ride2School Day on March 25. Helping children achieve their 60 minutes of daily exercise, Ride2School Day is part of Bicycle Network’s Ride2School program and is Australia’s biggest celebration of active travel. Gisborne Primary teacher Carla Dodd said there are many benefits of the early morning physical activity. “There are mental health benefits, as exercise releases feel-good chemicals in the brain that make you feel happy,” Ms Dodd said. “There are social benefits when riding with friends. “We have so many students that ride with each other to school.” Pupil Dylan said he likes riding to school as “not only is it healthy, but it is fun”. Alana said it’s good for fitness and “it’s nice to ride in the fresh air”. Ms Dodd said that if it’s a pupil’s first time riding into school, parents can ride or walk alongside them too. “You can also join a friend or group of friends and ride to school together.” Gisborne Primary School pupils Ethan, Sarah and Harvey pupils are keen for Ride2School Day on March 25. (Damjan Janevski) 270387_01
Soccer funds finally flow By Elsie Lange and Oliver Lees The state government will provide a half-a-million dollar upgrade to the Kyneton District Soccer Club’s home ground after its application to the federal government for the crucial works was overlooked. Findings from the Senate inquiry into the Community Infrastructure Grants program, released in March last year, found the club should have received $460,000 in funding to upgrade its oval. The much-needed upgrade has been a long time coming, with the existing ground forcing the club to play the majority of its home games
early on in the season to avoid a soggy pitch. Kyneton District Football Club’s failure to secure the federal funding, despite being ranked one of the most deserving clubs in the country by Sport Australia, was part of the notorious ‘sports rorts’ affair which forced former sport minister Bridget McKenzie to resign. Kyneton District Soccer Club president Ron Cole said having to travel away for games in the wettest and coldest part of the year has been challenging, and couldn’t wait for the upgrades to be made. “It’ll be re-drained and resurfaced, which will benefit the club, because at the moment,
come about June-July, we basically can’t use the ground,” Mr Cole said. “It just gets too wet, it becomes unplayable. “We have to cancel all training and all our home games.” Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas said the state government had picked up the federal government’s “slack”, who were “more interested in playing politics than giving our communities the facilities they need”. “With community sport now back in Victoria we’re expecting growing numbers of boys and girls, men and women keen to get back to the world game, however many clubs are struggling with inadequate facilities,”
Ms Thomas said. Last year, in response to the committee’s findings, Sport Minister Richard Colbeck said the federal government stood by its choice of grant allocation despite Kyneton District Football Club’s high eligibility for the funding. Mr Cole said there was excitement at the club when it heard the $500,000 upgrade would finally take place and hopes works start in September so they are finished by the end of the year, to get players back on the ground by 2023. “Everybody was really happy and relieved to hear that we’re finally going to be able to get the upgrade that we’ve needed for so long,” he said.
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