Promotion needed for Drouin

Drouin resident Yola Samplawski has called for better use of the dome in the town’s Memorial Park to actively promote the town, its surrounds and community events.

Initially constructed by the Apex Club of Drouin in 1968 for the Combined Churches Association of Drouin for its religious displays, Yola made an approach to Baw Baw Shire Council in 2015 to make the advertising space available to other community groups.

“In 2015 I raised the issue with Council to make the space available to the public and community,” she said.

“They can have their religious displays and they still do at the relevant times such as Christmas and Easter.

“But we’re a changing society, what about the Muslims, the Hindi and the non-believers.”

Fast forward three years and Yola is still searching for answers to better promote the town and its events.

“We have approached Baw Baw Shire and inquired if they could organise a more attractive promotional poster,” Yola said.

“The Shire officer responded that it was not the Shire’s responsibility and gave us a contact name from the Baw Baw Combined Churches.

“After contacting that person, we were informed that it was not their responsibility to promote Drouin to visitors.

“And that’s what I thought in the first place. “So whose responsibility is it? “I believe Drouin deserves a nicer promotional poster than the one currently on display.”

Yola had plenty of suggestions for what could potentially become a rolling display.

“It could be used to promote Drouin Lights Up or Gardavalia,” she said. “It doesn’t get used for that much.” Failing that, Yola said Drouin could go all out with a big item to ensure people stop in the town.

“Neerim South have got the Bower and people go there just to see that,” she said.

“Maybe we could have a billboard promoting points of interest in Drouin.

“We’ve got the wetlands, we’ve got trees of significance, there’s the Old Buttery Factory, we’ve got beautiful parks and hundreds of birds.

“We just need something more visible to promote the town and have people stop rather than driving through.”

Drouin Secondary College VCAL students Samuel Williams, Britt Carter and James RungeHill take to washing staff cars to raise money for the Cancer Council.

Yola Samplawski of Drouin believes the dome at Drouin’s Memorial Park could be utilised more often for advertising community events, such as the Armistice Day celebrations notice currently on display.

Yola Samplawski of Drouin has called for more creative advertising in Memorial Park’s dome to actively promote Drouin, its surrounds and community events.