Charlotte Varcoe
A MOUNT Gambier neighbourhood playground has been dismantled and prepared for shipment to a Timor health facility to provide an outlet for families receiving care.
Mount Gambier City Council has donated the Norm Mitchell Reserve play equipment to be used at Ryder-Cheshire’s Klibur Domin site near Dili in Timor.
The Rotary Club of Mount Gambier Lakes has formed a partnership with Ryder-Cheshire Australia to support Klibur Domin, a facility established in 2000 which can host in excess of 80 patients being treated for tuberculosis, disabilities and respite care.
Rotarians lobbied councils across the Limestone Coast searching for play equipment which could be donated to the overseas facility.
Council donated the equipment, which has since been replaced, as well as funds to transport the play equipment to Melbourne where it will be stored until shipment.
Rotarian John Kirby, who managed the project locally, said it was an essential donation made to the facility as many young families attend on a regular basis.
“We have had volunteers travel over to Timor to the Klibur Domin where we help out with labour jobs such as gardening but we also assist in administration work for them as well,” Mr Kirby said.
“We have been trying to find a playground which is suitable for the children over there for around eight months now, and when we came to council asking if there was one that could be dismantled and donated and they told us we could take this one.”
Mr Kirby said volunteers visiting the facility had identified the need for a playground given the number of children on-site.
“The locals over there and those who will utilise the playground are very appreciative of the donation made,” he said.
“Many of the patients come from the mountains and a lot are farmers but some of them are in quarantine because tuberculosis can be very contagious and because of that they can’t do much.
“But as soon as we are able to travel again, we will have volunteers returning to further our assistance.”
Council city infrastructure acting general manager Mark McDonald said the removed equipment would be replaced with a close-to-new playground from Olympic Park, which was dismantled prior to the building of the Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre.
“The playset that will be replacing the donated goods is in good condition and council workers were assisted by Burrandies Aboriginal Corporation with the installation earlier this week,” Mr McDonald said.
“It was a great opportunity to donate the playground equipment and the replacement equipment that is going to be used is a newer version of what was already there.”
