Darlington Community Recreation Advisory Group (DCRAG)

The Darlington Community Recreation Advisory Group, formerly Management Committee, is a unique local community group within the Shire of Mundaring. Our small and well used recreation area, for both structured and nonstructured activities, provides for many and varied user groups and individuals.

DCRAG has played an important role for many years in allowing the community to come together in a group to advise the Shire officers of what we value in the recreational space.

Here are the key items from the DCRAG Terms of Reference. By working together, we can maintain and improve the area to allow benefits to reach all members of our community.

Darlington Community Recreation Advisory Group (DCRAG) - Terms Of Reference

Purpose

3.1 To provide information and advice to the Shire on matters relating to the recreation facilities in the Darlington precinct.

3.2 To assess the local communities’ recreation needs and wants and keep the Shire informed of these needs.

3.3 To assist the Shire by providing recommendations on future planning of the recreation facilities in the Darlington precinct.

3.4 To make recommendations to the Shire on capital items relating to recreational facilities within the Darlington precinct.

3.5 To be a focal point and act as a link between the Shire and the local community.

Membership

Membership shall consist of persons comprising various community groups such as:

• Darlington Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade

• Darlington Junior Cricket

• Darlington Social Cricket

• Darlington Tennis Club

• Darlington Arts Festival

• Darlington Social Club

• Darlington Junior Football

• Darlington Bushfire Ready Group

• Darlington Ratepayer and Residents Association

• Darlington Sports and Recreation Association (Inc)

• Darlington Community Garden

• Darlington FODS Group

• Darlington Masterplan Group

• Darlington History Group

• Darlington Sustainability Group

• Local schools - one representative from each school

• Representatives from the local community otherwise not representative of a particular user group

• One Shire of Mundaring Councillor

Management Of Business

The Group shall elect its own Chair and determine its own procedures.

The group shall hold an AGM each February and elect the following office bearers …… Chairperson; Secretary.

Quorum at a meeting will consist of at least four members present from representatives of the membership bodies

The Group shall meet quarterly, or more frequently as required.

The Group may invite other persons, including representatives of other organizations, to attend any meeting but such persons shall not be entitled to vote on any decision arising out of that meeting

The Shire will provide administrative and executive support to facilitate the effective functioning of the Group.

A record of proceedings shall be prepared for each meeting and distributed to all group members within 5 working days after each meeting. The document shall be filed in the Shire’s record management system.

The Shire agrees to pay the annual subscription of the DCRAG to the Darlington Review.

The members of the Advisory Group are engaged by the Shire in the capacity as volunteers.

Approved 24/02/2020

The next quarterly DCRAG meeting will be held Monday 28th August at 7.00pm in the pavilion. We thank Chris Pemberton for her kind assistance in minute taking as Colin enjoys his holidays.

Further DCRAG information may be found on the village website https://www.darlingtonvillage.org including:-

• 2022 Capital Items Requests,

• DCRAG 2020 – 2120 Large Tree Replacement and Management Plan,

• DCRAG Lower Area Masterplan – Stage I 2018 Skatepark, Pumptrack and Arbour

• DCRAG Lower Area Masterplan – Phase II 2022 Wetland Rehabilitation Action Plan 2022

• DCRAG 2021 Seating Plan

Steady progress is being made on several fronts on the Darlington Wetland Rehabilitation Action Plan (WRAP) project, located just below (west of) the community garden and skate park.

Planning: More detailed mapping of the area has been undertaken as a basis for rehabilitation activities planning and integration with the Terratree ecological survey conducted in 2022.

Informing: Information meetings have been held with Shire officers, and a number of shire Councillors have attended onsite presentations.

Monitoring: The wetland is seasonal and, since the break of winter rains, the flows of water into the wetland are being monitored. The two pictures show part of the main wetland itself and the channel that flows directly from the wetland. The extent of weed-choking (kikuyu) is clear.

Applications for funding: The WRAP steering committee is currently focused on applying for funding from the recently announced WA Community Rivercare Grant 7. Chris Arnold is coordinator of this project and contactable on arnoldcg56@ gmail.com

Cook, Chair | Colin James, Secretary