ANZAC servicemen are to be honoured as the Soldiers ‘Avenue of Honour’ Freshwater is set for a $24,000 facelift.
After receiving a heritage listing, refurbishments have taken place at one of Sydney’s last standing Avenue’s of Honour with a new pathway in progress.
“They [The community] have instant access to their memorial and [it] gives them a sense of ownership,” said Warringah Mayor Michael Regan.
“The footpath is simply to finish off a missing link in the street to make one continuous path along the route of the living memorial of trees and the upgraded plinths.
“That in turn makes it easier for access for all to see the living memorial and encourages others from outside those mentioned to visit.”
While The State Government has provided funding towards the Soldiers Avenue of Honour Information Plinth, and the RSL ‘Service Tree’, local initiative is behind further improvements.
“Multiple contributions from the local community and the efforts of the locals to rejuvenate a memorial shows the commitment and seriousness of those involved,” said Regan.
The Soldiers Avenue of Honour Stakeholders Group has been at the forefront of renovations, with the recent refurbishment of Harbord Public School’s ‘Honour Board’, commemorating eight former students of the School.
But future plans don’t stop there.
“The local returned servicemen led by Sean Rout helped put together a program for this years celebration, but also a program of upgrades for the next several years,” said Regan
“The stakeholders group was formed about 2 years ago and have drawn up a master plan to be realised by 11 November 2018,” said Sean Rout JP, member of the Stakeholders Group and Vietnam Veteran.
“[The] Master Plan was shown to the PM last weekend who took a great interest in the project.”
The upgrades as well as the heritage listing of the 66 memorial trees has increased the awareness of the Centenary of the Establishment of Avenues of Honour, and the Centenary of ANZAC.
“The locals will know they helped make this happen and invested in it themselves,” said Regan.
“No question these events bring our different communities together.”
Regan describes Warringah Council’s involvement as a “unique opportunity to partner with the community in honouring our lost soldiers” in his Mayoral Minutes.
Freshwater resident, Lance Stewart, says the community involvement shows how important our history of ANZAC is in bringing Australians together.
“Those involved have just been outstanding, to see the work and planning going into memorials like this makes me proud to be an Australian,” said Stewart.
S.J.A 