Remember the days of the old school yard
I read with great interest about the future of "our" "little school" in Lyons Street. Formally it was St Joseph's Primary School, I refer to it as my beautiful little school. The wonderful memories I have of my one and only school are with me every day. I sometimes drive past and remember the teachers. Most of the teachers were Loreto nuns, but there was one lady teacher I remember. Her name was Mrs Thorne, the most beautiful writer with lovely chalk writing on the blackboard every day. The nuns were strict, but great! From memory, I think I left at grade 7. Some of the students went on to become very prominent names in Ballarat and beyond. Some of the girls became television stars. Most of us "surviving girls" would be, as I am, in our eighties now. Those days were war days and most of us were very poor, but it has in later life made us appreciate what a gift life is. I still have the original photo of the year we won the Basketball, also a few others.
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Kath Harty, Ballarat
More parking than Creswick Road
Put the apartments designated for the railway precinct in the vacant block in Creswick Road next to Officeworks: here where they could become part of the streetscape and still be part of the city. Due to the space being freed-up, the railway precinct could then be used for its original purpose to provide more amenities to the commuting public and visitors alike. This might then really enable the beautiful buildings to be shown to the best advantage, and possibly an attraction to be admired alongside the other wonderful buildings Ballarat is so widely known for. The parking space would be substantially increased. The extra parking would result in many more spaces and still be convenient for GovHub workers, and maybe a "green space" could even be created on the top of the car parks. In hope and forward thinking,
Yvonne Smith, Warrenheip.
Greens have got it wrong
I was very disappointed to read a report in the Herald Sun stating that the Greens want the Australian flag to fly at half-mast on Australia Day!
I do support a change of date for Australia Day, particularly to respect our first Australians, many of whom regard this day as Invasion Day. However, to suggest the flag should be flown at half-mast particularly on Australia Day, the day that has been put aside with good intention for centuries to celebrate Australia, is disrespectful to all Australians.
Considering the bigger picture, before we can actually change Australia Day, I believe we need a comprehensive plan that outlines the priorities.
It is my belief that the date for Australia Day should be re-examined once Australia has matured to become a republic and respectfully in Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s lifetime, so as to be able to acknowledge respectfully Her Majesty’s service to our nation.
Once we are a republic, I then believe Australia Day should be one of three dates: 1 January - the day of Federation in 1901, the Queen’s birthday or my preference Eureka Day which is 3 December.
And lastly but importantly let’s not forget the Australian flag. It is now in its fourth incarnation after the Union Jack (yes there has been more than one Australian flag). I believe we need to change the flag as part of this process (particularly the removal of the Union Jack), show respect for Australia’s founding story, reclaim the Flag of the Southern Cross, and, yes, make the Eureka flag our national flag. Why not, I ask?
May I also remind our Greens councillor Belinda Coates that all this is a federal matter and can’t be addressed by Council and nor should it.
Let’s return respect to our national agenda in 2018.
Ron Egeberg, Soldiers hill