Brighter nights ahead for club oval
GREEN- FRIENDLY technology is set to feature in the City of Greater Geelong’s $200,000 lighting upgrade at Collendina Reserve.
The project proposes to remove existing lighting infrastructure at the Minerva Close complex and replace it with four new LED light towers.
The environmentally friendly technology will improve lighting levels, but will also reduce energy consumption and be cheaper to run than a traditional equivalent halogen installation.
Cr Stephanie Asher said it was critical the council showed support “for such a popular local club”.
“The LED solution is a great example of sustainable choices being more efficient and more cost effective,” Cr Asher said.
The LED lighting system also improves efficiency by directing light exactly where it needs to go, lowering glare and spilling less light into surrounding areas.
The sports oval is home to the Ocean Grove Collendina Cobras Junior Football Club and the Collendina Cricket Club.
Cr Jim Mason applauded the “energetic community” in Collendina and beyond “who have put in so much work for their facilities and for their community”.
The upgrade will help cater to the rapid growth of football in the area, which has been driven by a large uptake of participation among women and girls.
It was one of 13 projects in the Greater Geelong region that shared in a combined $1.37 million in State Government funding through the Pick My Project program.
The project follows the upcoming installation of LED sports lighting at King Lloyd Reserve in Newtown, which will allow more access to the reserve, particularly during the winter months.
The City is working with the Ocean Grove Collendina Cobras Junior Football Club to install the towers at their home ground later this year. A PORTARLINGTON woman who relied on public transport to get to church to volunteer has been given a car in a remarkable act of kindness.
Kathy Mahony said she was in shock and “completely surprised” after receiving the donated Smart car.
“Nobody’s ever done something like this for me before,” Ms Mahony said.
A regular volunteer at the Drysdale Community Church food bank, she was previously able to get around only by using public transport.
But catching the bus could be “a bit frustrating” as buses might arrive only once in two hours, or sometimes not at all.
“You just gotta hope and pray the buses come,” Ms Mahony said.
The trip from her home in Portarlington to the church involved two buses, one into Drysdale and then one on to the church.
Ms Mahony would sometimes catch the bus to Drysdale and then walk “a couple of kilometres” to get to the church, according to Pastor Jake Hogendoorn.
“She’s a really committed volunteer,” Mr Hogendoorn said.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for her.”
Ms Mahony has been volunteering at the church’s food bank, which supplies food for 35 families, for eight years.
“I love it, I love helping people,” she said, attributing her love of helping people to her upbringing.
“You see the smiles on their faces of the people who come in, it makes it all worthwhile,” she said.
“It’s not just me, it’s the whole team.”
The car belonged to local businessman Ben Fabretto, who had been trying to sell it for two months before deciding to donate the vehicle.
He appealed on Facebook to find someone in need and said what drew him to Kathy was that she was helping people in need.
“She’s going out of her way to be kind” Mr Fabretto said.