Community spirit

If it was possible to take a reading on how most people in Orange are feeling right now, out of 10, what do you think it would be? My gut feeling says it would be on the lower end.

And what do I base this on?

First up, I personally am feeling quite flat for a number of reasons. From where I sit, I can’t see a lot to get excited about, and trust me, I’m trying very hard to rise above the way I feel for not only myself, but for others too.

Here’s not the place to rant about what’s wrong in my world, I’d rather try to get us all thinking on more positive things.

On that note, I’m wondering if we can come up with a big Community project that will capture widespread interest, get us motivated and bring people together for a beneficial common cause?  I wasn’t here at the time but my understanding of how the Adventure Playground was built seems to be the model for what I’m thinking. Clearly a lot of people played a part in that playground being built and it still provides endless hours of pleasure for families who visit it. What an achievement that must have been at the time and how satisfying it must have been for all involved.

Can we capture that type of Community spirit in Orange again? If so, how?

Personally, I think another super playground project at Gosling Creek could be worth investigating. We’ve mentioned the idea of another super playground many times before in Orange City Life, but like with so many ideas, it’s hard to know where to take them for serious analysis. Our Council is the obvious place to start but the energy and enthusiasm coming out of City Hall lately is hardly inspiring.

Playground or something else, it doesn’t really matter, my point is simply this – can we come up with something to get us excited and motivated, something that as a community, we can get involved with? Over the last few years, OC Life has in some respects led the charge in putting forward ideas from both ourselves and our readers. There have been some wonderful ideas put forward but unless someone with the power to assess them or run with them takes them up, they go nowhere, and that’s exactly what has happened.

I know it sounds like Council bashing, but it’s hard to say it any other way – our current group of Councillors seem to lack any real vision or business savvy for growing our City. I’ve been in Orange for 10 years and the only new pieces of Community infrastructure that come to mind are the Visitor Centre redevelopment and a huge pavilion at the showground. Interestingly, both these are meant to cater for crowds of people, yet I’m told neither have adequate toilet facilities on site. Speaking of toilets, in the 10 years I’ve lived here, the public toilet facilities for visitors haven’t improved, but the jokes about Council’s ability to build one are definitely on the rise.

Seriously, Orange needs a project to get us excited and if possible, involve the Community.

How can we get this message to our Councillors and cause them to act on it?