Picture caption: (L+R) Former President of the Castle Hill and District RSL sub-Branch, Don Tait OAM; President of the Balcombe Heights Estate S355 Committee, Connie Keith; Federal Member of Mitchell Alex Hawke MP; Mayor of The Hills Shire, Dr Peter Gangemi; and Assistant Grand Master, Right Worshipful Brother Bill Driver.
Mayor of The Hills Shire Council, Dr Peter Gangemi joined the Federal Member for Mitchell, Alex Hawke MP and other Hills dignitaries to re-open the World War II Memorial at Balcombe Heights Estate in Baulkham Hills on Wednesday, June 29, 2022.
The Memorial, which pays tribute to the men who attended the former Masonic School at the Estate and then went onto fight in the Second World War and also in the Vietnam conflict, was upgraded after Council successfully secured approximately $200,000 under the Australian Government's Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) Program.
Mayor Gangemi thanked the Australian Government for their contribution to the project.
"It has been a goal of ours to make this site a special place where we can commemorate our servicemen and women, both past and present. I believe we have successfully achieved this thanks to the funding we have received from the Australian Government to beautify this site and keep it as a signification location that can be used by future generations for services and events that pay tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedom, beliefs and values," he said.
"The War Memorial looks spectacular, and I am so happy with the outcome," Mayor Gangemi added.
The project involved a complete refurbishment of the Memorial, while also retaining the original central monument and the flagpole opposite the former Masonic School building.
The former concrete retaining walls and paving were demolished and replaced by new granite stone steps and paving, as well as new concrete pathways and ramps. A commemorative concrete seat was also included in the worksand will become a significant feature along with a commemorative gardenof white roses, rosemary and westringias, which will further compliment the setting as they grow.
The WWII Memorial upgrade is one of 34 projects that received funding under Phase Two of the LRCI Program.
The Program supports local councils to deliver priority local road and community infrastructure projects across Australia, supporting jobs and the resilience of local economies to help communities bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic.
For more information, visit The Hills Shire Council website (www.thehills.nsw.gov.au) and search "Balcombe Heights Estate".
