Name change not supported
A proposal to rename Hearn Park in Drouin to Hearn St Lions Park has not been supported by Baw Baw Shire.
The Drouin Lions Club approached council about renaming the park to include the club in the title.
A report to council said the Drouin Lions club had committed volunteer hours and funding into both maintaining and improving Hearn Park.
Officers said this work had been undertaken over a period of more than 40 years and included development of the original park, construction of the bus shelter, barbecue and toilets.
But, council did not support the proposal, instead taking the advice of its Place Names Advisory Committee who said the inclusion of the Lions Club would weaken the historic connection to a pioneering family.
Hearn Park is named after the Hearn family who was a well know family in the Drouin area involved in business, dairying, timber, transport and freight.
J. Gifford Hearn arrived in Drouin in 1890 and built the first shop in Drouin (current newsagency). Nurse Catherine Hearn operated a small hospital on Princes Way in the early years of 1900.
Cr Danny Goss said council had been put in a difficult position by the Drouin Lions Club.
He said the Hearn family had been in Drouin since the 1890s and was a pioneering family who made an enormous contribution in the early days of Drouin.
Cr Goss said no one could diminish the work and contribution the Lions Club do in our community.
“They make an enormous contribution. This is not against anything they have done,” he said.
Cr Goss said the Lions Club had been recognised through the naming of various things in the park but renaming the whole park was taking it too far.
He said Rotary Park in Warragul was different because Warragul Rotary established that park.
“The persistence of the Lions Club to have the name changed and seek recognition doesn’t sit well with me,” he said.
Cr Tricia Jones said the Hearn family had gifted land to the shire and both a park and street ensured the historical link to the town.
She said the Lions Club had added shelters, toilets, barbecues and seating to the park and plaques recognised their contribution.
Cr Jones said renaming the park would recognise the service of Drouin Lions Club and she could not see why council could not change the system.
“We have a lot of service clubs doing years of work and serving our community. I’d like to see we can have the historical link and the community service link,” she said.
Cr Jessica O’Donnell said council’s advisory committees were in place to advise council.
She said members of the names advisory committee had volunteered their time and they had a lot of skill and knowledge.
Council officers said they could work with the Lions Club to develop some interpretive signage which could recognise the volunteer labour and funds committed by the club along with a history of this work.