Horsham Rural City Council is like the other 78 municipalities across the state.
More than most realise, our Council makes decisions and provides services that touch the lives of all age groups within our community at one stage or another.
If people in the community are not sure who is responsible for something, Council is often their first contact. During this global pandemic Council, like many other organisations, has continued to provide services sometimes in a very different format.
Located in Horsham North is the Children's Hub where maternal and child health nurses monitor the health, development and wellbeing of our youngest residents. They also provide childhood immunisation clinics and there is a place for supported playgroup.
To ensure the students and parents can make it to school safely our crossing supervisors are out with the stop sign keeping children safe in rain, hail or shine.
The environmental health officer has the responsibility of ensuring food premises are operating in a safe manner. When our pubs and cafes pivoted to take away the health officer ensured the food we purchased to support these businesses was safe to consume.
The Wimmera Regional Library Corporation provides more than just books, like access to the internet, photocopying, daily newspapers, historical newspapers and the opportunity to borrow books and talking books. During the lockdowns library staff arranged click and collect services so our community didn't miss out.
Lockdowns saw our community using our parks, gardens, river fronts, tracks and footpaths more so they could stay healthy and connected. Council provides lighting and car parking so we can enjoy the river.
Parks and gardens staff ensured that all the high touch surfaces and public conveniences were cleaned regularly, including playgrounds which have been very important to our young people during the past few years.
Council also provides animal services including a number of dog parks thought our municipality.
The experiences provided by the town hall and art gallery have been interrupted along with the aquatic centre. Now is the time to support these important resources so our community and great Wimmera region can get back to normal faster.
The past two years have been challenging for us all, everyone has a Covid story to tell about what they have experienced and how their lives have been touched. This week, we watch and wait to see how the world could change again for different reasons, and we all must remember to be kind in what we say and do.
