David Lewis
THERE was a time when Alex and her younger sister Zoe regularly accompanied their grandparents, Brian and Sally Weis of Portland, to the Tara Raceway greyhound meetings.
Later, they would move with their parents to the other side of Victoria at Venus Bay, but not before Alex had made her mark at the Mount Gambier track.
It was eight years ago now that Alex – eight years old at the time – had made the trip over to Mount Gambier with her grandparents for a social function at the track.
She had been on a mission that night, tackling committee members over the lack of activities on race day for the kids while their parents/grandparents raced their greyhounds.
The suggestion to her was to write a letter to the committee outlining her proposal and it would be discussed at their next meeting.
It is a fair bet no one really expected a letter to be forthcoming, but by the end of the night a note, written on the back of a Pick 6 entry form, had been handed to the committee for their consideration.
Alex’s proposal had suggested a playground be erected at the track.
Not a bad idea from the eight-year-old kid, but playgrounds were an expensive commodity.
Sometimes, though, you get lucky.
Not too much later it turned out Angle Park actually had a brand new playground stored at its track – still unwrapped, so to speak.
They had decided it was surplus to requirements.
The Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club could not get it down here quick enough and upon erection it looked pretty good.
Then, in January 2016, “Alexandra’s Playground” was officially opened.
Alex and Zoe, enjoying a few days at Portland, were at Tara Raceway for Thursday’s meeting and Alex was intent on checking out the playground and making sure the sign was still in place.
She was back where it had begun all those years ago.
It is probably fair to say the kids taking advantage of the playground at today’s race meetings owe her a debt of gratitude.
