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12 APRIL, 2022
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Hop to it for Easter treats Word has it the Easter bunny will be spending a bit of time scattering precious chocolate eggs around Gisborne Steam Park this year. Featuring egg hunts, arts and crafts, carnival rides, face painting, sack and egg and spoon races, the Gisborne Easter Festival is sure to be an egg-citing, joyful time for all who head along on Saturday, April 16. The event is raising money for Gisborne Food Bank, and Webb Event group volunteer Emma Dwyer said it was seeing people struggle in the community that made her want to make it happen. “I’ve just ordered 50kg of solid chocolate … we’re also doing an adult Easter egg hunt, which will have chocolate and other bits and pieces in it,” Ms Dwyer said. “It’s just family friendly, community-related, fun we’ve all missed out on. “There’ll be some market stalls, some food vendors, a community sausage sizzle.” The event starts at 10am and tickets must be purchased for the egg hunts. VICTORIA, 8, MOLLIE, 6, LIAM, 9, LILLY, 3, HARPER, 8, AND HANNAH, 11
Sport precinct assured By Elsie Lange Macedon Ranges Regional Sport Precinct (MRRSP) will go ahead, regardless of who wins the next federal election. Last week the Labor Party announced it would invest $15 million to build the hub if elected on 21 May, following last month’s federal budget funding omission. On Sunday, the Coalition matched the $15 million promise. “The MRRSP will provide a fantastic community sporting facility for clubs, families and most importantly, our children,” Victorian senator Greg Mirabella said. In a video posted to his Facebook page, Liberal McEwen candidate Richard Welch
said he was “overjoyed” to announce the funding. “I cannot tell you how much the local community, the mums and dads, particularly the players, how much they’ve been waiting for this announcement,” Mr Welch said. “This is not a promise, this is a delivery. We can start the Macedon Ranges Regional Sports Precinct now.” Longtime campaigner for the MRRSP, Megan Condron, said she was excited and relieved after the announcement. “I’m just ecstatic,” Ms Condron said. “What’s been really beautiful about this too, is that all the community groups that have worked so well together, supported each other and supported the vision, it didn’t matter what
sport, everyone’s doing it together, helping each other out.” McEwen MP Rob Mitchell announced Labor’s commitment at the Macedon Ranges Netball Complex last week. “Rapid growth in population and female participation has put a huge strain on clubs and competitions because the facilities are not there to meet the community’s needs,” Mr Mitchell said. The pledges are set to fund sports hub courts, a function room, additional new car parking, a new practise oval, outdoor multi-sport courts, sports pavilion amenities and landscaping. The $15 million funding is in addition to the $14.8 million committed by the state
government for stage one of the project, to begin in May. Macedon Ranges mayor Jennifer Anderson welcomed the commitment by both parties. “We’re very excited about the funding announcement from the federal Coalition government to support this important second stage of such a significant project for our region,” Cr Anderson said. Ms Condron said the hub would address the lack of sporting infrastructure in the region, which impacts women and girls. “[I’m] relieved the next generation don’t have to make choices and drive out of the shire and have waitlists, everyone has an equal opportunity to try multiple sports,” she said. “Doesn’t matter if they’re male or female.”
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