Toora wins at State level

Mirror
Wednesday 10/10/2007 Page: 7

Toora has progressed from its regional level win to take out the State level award from Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria [KABV] Sustainable Communities Tidy Towns Awards in the Community Government Partnership category. Toora Progress Association representatives Kathy Whelan and Peter Lee, who had travelled to the awards ceremony held at Benalla on the weekend, accepted the award on the town's behalf. KABV Chief Executive Wendy Jones said, "Using seed money provided from Stanwell, the operators of nearby wind turbines, the community was able to win access to 'dollar-for-dollar' grants.

"At the end of a three-year period, Toora was able to boast a new skate park, a covered pool and improvements to the community hall and Prom View Lodge nursing home." Ms Jones added that the long running awards program can, "prove that small things make a difference." She pointed out that despite the drought, it was a very competitive awards year, and that, "people throughout regional Victoria continue striving to find ways to create a more sustainable environment."

Other towns winning categories at the State level were Echuca, Stuart Mill, Beechworth, Wandong, Heathcote Junction, Lorne, Tallarook and Lara. The individual Dame Phyllis Frost Award went to a resident of Beechworth.