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28 FEBRUARY, 2023
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Flipping for joy
Curbside Carnies Circus Homework facilitator Anso Biguet .
The next generation of circus performers could be in Brimbank thanks to a Brimbank council community grant. The council awarded 136 grants in the 2022-23 program, including $10,000 to Curbside Carnies for its new Circus Homework program. Curbside Carnies is a mobile circus project created during the lockdowns in Victoria, which has since expanded to provide COVID-safe circus experiences. The homework program targets First Nations, Torres Strait Islander and refugee-background school-aged children in Brimbank, Attendees will have the opportunity to identify their favoured skills and build on their capabilities over consecutive weeks before a showcase at the end of each term. Carnies’ Sophie deLightful said there was great excitement in receiving the grand which was the first step in having a year long program. “Curbside Carnies first received a grant from Brimbank City Council in November 2021 and has been working steadily with them since,” she said.
(Supplied)
Pool phone ban looming By Tara Murray Mobile phones and other devices could be banned on the pool deck at the Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre as part of a safety review following a number of ‘serious events’. Brimbank councillor Maria Kerr raised a notice of motion at last week’s council meeting calling for a review of safety at the centre following recent incidents. The review is to focus on parental supervision of children within the pool area, water safety awareness and parental responsibilities and a possible ban on mobile phone use in the pool area.
A review of current car parking facilities will also be part of the review. The review comes after a number of incidents since the centre opened in September. It’s been believed the centre had to be evacuated at least three times last year following incidents where children weren’t supervised. Cr Kerr said there had been more members using the centre than expected and the staff had done an outstanding job. “With the unprecedented number of patrons, there have been a few instances that have caused me concern,” she said. “I have visited the centre with my own young children, along with feedback from the
community have noted, there are concerns with the level of parental, carer and guardian supervision of minors whilst in the pool. “The usage of mobile phones by guardians while they should be supervising minors, patrons eating while in the pool, the number of the patrons in the aquatic area during busy times, murky water.” She said other concerns raised included the amount of accessible car parks available, level of lighting in the car park and pedestrian crossings. Cr Kerr said she feared the incidents would continue to occur if something was not done. “I’m very concerned that these very serious
events and near drownings could turn into a fatal accident,” she said. “It is my duty as a councillor to bring this issue to council. I urge my fellow councillors to support this motion for a safety review, including supervision guidelines whilst minors are in the pool, parental, carer and guardian water safety awareness, the possibly the ban of all devices whilst in the aquatic space. “Along with the community I’m very concerned that it is only a matter of time before we are dealing with a more serious incident, the occurrences thus far already been traumatic to staff and witnesses.”
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