Double win for Sandy Point

A RECENT visit by Deputy Premier Peter Ryan to Sandy Point has produced a double win for the coastal town.
Mr Ryan was there last Friday, November 22 to officially open the new Neighbourhood Safer Place (NSP) at the Sandy Point Community Hall, a collaboration between the Victorian Coalition Government, emergency services agencies, South Gippsland Shire Council and the community.
This means Sandy Point, recognised as a high fire-risk area, now has a place of last resort in event of a bushfire.
“Sandy Point is recognised as a high fire-risk area and we have worked tirelessly to ensure the community now has a place which will provide some protection in the event of a bushfire,” Mr Ryan said.
Mr Ryan said the area around Sandy Point Community Hall was determined the most appropriate place for an NSP by the CFA.
“Sandy Point’s population, is currently around 200, can increase tenfold during the busy summer season with the influx of tourists keen to enjoy the magnificence of the region,” Mr Ryan said.
Mr Ryan said even with the NSP in place, it was important for the community to remember successful bushfire survival planning involved consideration of several different options.
“Flexibility is the key to good bushfire survival planning and NSPs are just one of many options available,” Mr Ryan said.
“The safest option is always to leave a high-risk bushfire area well before a bushfire or a fire front approaches.
“It is also vitally important to stay informed and use more than one source of information for fire warnings.”
South Gippsland Shire Council mayor Cr Jim Fawcett said it was an important safety feature for the town.
“It is great to have here but I really never hope we will have to use it,” he said.
While in Sandy Point Mr Ryan took the opportunity to announce funding for a number of upgrades to the TP Taylor Reserve.
Mr Ryan announced $133,000 from the Regional Growth Fund will go towards the $177,000 project which will include the installation of playground shade sails, a basketball half court, a connecting pathway, barbecue rotunda, car park curbing and channelling, seating, landscaping and re-fencing of the tennis courts.
Works are set to start on the project in February.
The South Gippsland Shire will contribute $34,000 towards the project while the reserve committee of management is providing $10,000.

Winners are grinners: all smiles at Sandy Point on Friday were South Gippsland Shire Council mayor Cr Jim Fawcett, deputy premier Peter Ryan, manager of policy and planning for the fire services commissioner John Schauble, president of the TP Taylor Reserve Committee Dianne Cooper, deputy mayor Cr Jeanette Harding and CFA Gippsland regional director Mark Potter.

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Posted by Sarah Vella on Nov 26 2013. Filed under Featured, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry