Press relase of the speech of the Chairman Bill Brown
Tuesday 21st of December in the Maude street Mall
subject:
SheppartonParkside Gardens is the winner of "my favourite place"
in the year of the build environment 2004 Victorian State Competition

Before we get to the crux of this meeting I would like to take you back to mid 2004 when the State Government, The Sunday Herald Sun and the building commision joined together to launch the
"your favourite place" competition. This was designed to celebrate the year of the built environment and it was publicly supported by Premier Bracks!

Over a three month period people were invited to nominate their favourite place.

Victoria was divided into seven regions, these being - Inner City, Outer City,
North Central, North East, South West
South East and Gippsland.

Chairman Bill Brown with the award for Parkside Gardens.
Photo by: Ed Scholl - Photography

Each region would have a winner with the best result being declared the overal winner.
"Our Mayor", councillor Anne McCamish, through the pages of The Adviser urged our citizens to participate. This urging by "our Mayor" ensured that the winner of our region, the North East, came from Greater Shepparton. We publicly thank her for her suport. The winner, or should I say The most Favourite Place of the the North East Region was Parkside Gardens.

Neglected (deliberately), vandalised and seemingly unloved the Parkside Gardens was declared, and I say it again, to be the North East Regions Favourite Place !

And this was before the Heritage value of the Gardens was recognised by Heritage Victoria !

Among other candidates for Regional honours were - Mount Buffalo Chalet (one of my favourite places), the Benalla Art Gallery, Craig's Hut Mansfield, Beechworth, Cobram Barooga Bridge, Wangaratta Saleyards and Wangaratta Valley Homestead.

No big prizes for this. The overal winner, a bush swiming pool at Hepburn Springs, probably received a Certificate attesting to the fact that the Pool was the overall winner!

There was a prize of a mobile phone for the best individual nomination. This was won by a person who nominated the MCG because she loved the ROAR OF THE CROWD. So much for the recent history.

Well folks, we never did hear whether Parkside Gardens was officially recognised
(via a Certificate) as the North East FAVOURITE PLACE. In fact one media representative after asking for the "Mayoral" response to the recognition was given "no comment".
Pretty ordinary considering that the "Mayor" did the urging.

A few day's ago a truck rubled past with its tailgate open and out fluttered a piece of paper that turned out to be a Certificate that stated and I quote:

My Favourite Place Competition

In 2004, the Year of the Built Environment, a competition was held to identify
Victoria's favourite buildings, places and spaces. Winners were based on a
poular vote with 'Favourite Places" awarded in every municipality in Victoria.
Places which received the most nominations in each region of Victoria were also
awarded, and the highest number of votes determinated the overall
'Favourite Place' in Victoria.

Parkside Gardens
Municipal Winner.

Signed by : Tony Arnel, Building Commissioner.

A question to Council - If there is a certificate marking the Municipal winners is there not also a Certificate that recognises the Regional winner ? If so where is it ?

Councillors are judged not only on the good of things they do but also on how the handle situations that go against them. Most of "our councillors" fail this test miserably. Council now has a chance to make amends by locating the Regional Winner Certificate and doing a litle public 'song and dance' with it.

Today I itend to make a presentation of this Certificate. I hope you wil pardon me doing this as I have not been elected to do this nor am I a City Councillor but, if Council won't well someone has to do it !

Today it gives me me the greatest pleasure in presenting this Certificate to the Citizens of Greater Shepparton. This Certificate recognises what most of us know and that is that Parkside Gardens, though neglected, is still a place of beauty and heritage. It has the potential, at relatively small cost, to be a place of leisure and calmness in a city that is becoming increasingly stressfull.

This Certicate will be exhibited for the next 2 weeks in the window of Shoe Styles on the corner of Maude and Vaughan Street.

Finally - As we turn into 2005, and if you listen carefully you can hear the distant rumble of bulldozers approching to take away your Gardens and your Heritage in the name of DEVELOPMENT AT ALL COSTS.

SHAME
COUNCIL
SHAME !