Richmond Valley Notes

with Therese Schier

Amazing Australia Day

Richmond Valley will celebrate Australia Day at the Windara Nursery and Tea Rooms, South Casino on January 26.The day is planned around Windara's 'Maze of Bewilderment' - a hedge maze planted out with Australian dwarf lily pillies. It kicks off with a gourmet Aussie breakfast followed by the official ceremony and presentation of citizenship awards at 9am.

Games, music and heaps of fun will follow.

The Valley's Australia Day Ambassador is Commonwealth and Olympics walker Kerry Saxby-Junna.

Tickets for the breakfast are on sale at the Casino Visitor Information Centre and Norma's Arts & Crafts in the Casino Shopping Plaza. All other activities on the day are free.

For further information contact Council's events officer, Nyree Epplett, on 6660 0203.

Coraki Police Open Day

A family day aimed at breaking down barriers between police and the community will be held in Coraki next Tuesday, January 18, in the Coraki Community hall.

Crime prevention officer Constable Michael Hogan said the day starts with kids activities from 3 to 5pm, followed by a free sausage sizzle between 5.30 and 6.30pm. There'll also be static displays including a police horse, a highway patrol vehicle, a rescue truck, and a breathalyser bus.

An adult information evening from 7 to 9pm will discuss crime prevention issues, the young offenders act and reporting crime.

For more information phone Const Hogan on 6623 1523.

Gas meetings

Ellangowan residents concerned about the proposed Casino gas project will meet this Saturday to discuss their concerns.

Gloria and Max Horne are organising an initial meeting on January 15 at 2pm in the Ellangowan community hall in preparation for a second meeting the following Saturday.

Exploration company Metgasco announced plans to develop gas reserves in the Ellangowan area and representatives from the company will be present at the second meeting on January 22, along with Clarence MP Steve Cansdell and Alan Hayes from the community group, Australian Gas Alliance, which campaigns against contamination from methane gas mining.

For meeting details contact Gloria and Max Horne daily after 1pm on 6663 7108.

Lions make an appealing offer

Casino Lions ladies Marlene Farrell and Lyn Mudford with some of the toiletries collected for women and children tsunami victims. Marlene said they are hopeful they will end up with "a trailer load".

Casino Lions club will help its twin club in the Negombo coastal area of Sri Lanka rebuild following the devastation of the tsunami disaster.

Four people died, 350 houses were destroyed and 2000 people were displaced in the area, situated on the west coast just north of Columbo. Residents also lost their livelihood when their fishing boats were washed ashore or smashed.

The offer of help came from Casino Lions club member Peter Gunthorpe who helped establish the twin club arrangement in the 1980s, but had lost contact over the years. Peter turned to fellow Club member, Page MP Ian Causley, for help to re-establish the relationship.

After a fuzzy phone call and an email, Peter soon heard from Negombo Lions member Oswald Lionel who said the Sri Lankan government had donated land to the districts' Lions clubs to build 150 houses. Mr Lionel asked if Casino Lions Club could be a stakeholder in sponsoring one or two houses, which cost around $2300 each. The local Lions jumped at the chance and a grateful Mr Lionel said Casino's donation would be honoured with a plaque on the houses.

"It certainly was a relief and a certain amount of joy that we could help them over there," Peter said. "I feel pretty excited. We can see exactly where the money is going. There's a lot of satisfaction."

Peter said donations that can be left at Sil Gava's Car Sales, Walker Street, Casino, and through a bucket collection the Club will conduct around the streets this Thursday, Friday and Saturday, as well as the toiletries the Lions ladies are collecting to send to women and children in affected areas.

Casino Rotary Club is also conducting tsunami appeals, more on this next week.

Cosmetic clinic for old chambers

Casino art centre president Peter Gallo outside the former Casino council chambers, which is to be redeveloped into a health centre. Mr Gallo accused council of selling off the town's heritage and not waiting until the CBD plan is completed. "A future's got no future without a past," he said. "And we've sold off our past."

The future of the Red Cross and Senior Citizens centres in the old Casino council chambers remain under a cloud after Richmond Valley Council finally revealed that the site had been sold to an investment company.

They plan to convert the building into a MediSpa day surgery cosmetic clinic.

Council also revealed that the Red Cross and Senior Citizen centres buildings and the public toilet block are included in the sale, despite the fact that three months ago council officials assured the Red Cross that the tea rooms and op shop were 'safe'.

Richmond Valley mayor Charlie Cox said Council met with Red Cross and the Senior Citizens representatives last week and explained that Council had negotiated a three year delayed settlement for the two buildings. He assured the two community organisations they would be consulted over future plans to accommodate them. He said there was also a 12-month delay on settlement of the toilet block.

The Red Cross would not comment on the sale and the Senior Citizens were unavailable.

Cr Cox said the sale, together with the CBD upgrade due to begin shortly, would help council provide sites for a number of community groups.

"It's a catalyst for planning for council to rationalise the use of its buildings and to provide multi-function facilities for various community groups," he said. "It's not in the best interest of Council to have single use facilities, it's expensive for management and maintenance."

The Mayor said the investment company has committed to maintaining the art deco style of the main buildings and is offering the Red Cross the opportunity to put forward a proposal to operate tea rooms in the courtyard.

The clinic is expected to open in June, offering phototherapy and laser treatment services. It will have a staff of five, which is expected to grow to 14-20 within two to three years.

The sale price and the name of the investment company, which owns similar facilities in Melbourne and Perth, will not be revealed until final settlement.