The Weekly Times - TWT - May 2nd, 2018

8 THE WEEKLY TIMES Wednesday 2 May, 2018
A huge kick from a tiny tot opens synthetic field at hristie ark
A erome axale kicked a goal ith the ity of ydes youngest footallers at the opening of the ne all eather synthetic turf footall field at hristie
ark in Macquarie Park last Friday.
Junior footballers from Gladesville
ing infrastructure here in Ryde,”
Hornsby Football Asso-
he said.
ciation teams the Ryde Magic,
Gladesville Ravens and the North
West Sydney Koalas were at the
opening ceremony and challenged
the Mayor to a penalty
shoot out.
“The new facilities at Christie
Park will revolutionise the sport-
“As we have seen with ELS Hall,
synthetic pitches leads to less
sportin fitures bein called off
due to adverse weather events
and ensures that sport can continue
to be played all year round.”
“I would encourage everyone to
come to Christie Park to see the
new facilities firsthand that are
now available for local sporting
teams to take advantage of.”
He described Christie Park as
one of the most popular sporting
venues in the City of Ryde
and said he is thrilled the new
synthetic pitch will host home
fitures for local clubs within the
area.
“The two new sports fields at
hristie Par are the first FF
accredited synthetic fields in the
City of Ryde, and will guarantee
consistent playing surfaces 365
days a year,” he said.
“In addition to the all-weather
synthetic sports fields at hristie
Park, a new tiered seating section
for 500 spectators has also
been installed and one metre high
perimeter fencing introduced
around both fields
Cork has been used as the infill
layer to proide cooler playing
conditions, while netting can
be found at the rear of the field
to prevent balls from entering
the adjacent Lane Cove National
Park.
Christie Park is located at 12
Christie Road, Macquarie Park,
opposite Macquarie University.
PICTURED City of Ryde
Mayor Jerome Laxale was at
last ridays kick o or hristie
ark the new synthetic tur
ootball field which can host
ootball in all weather conditions.
TWT on-the-sot T
Ryde’s Armenians wait and pray as their homeland faces uprising
RYDE’S Armenian community is praying for a peaceful solution to the
country’s deeping political crisis.
Almost a million protestors
took to the streets of
the capital Yerevan in protest
against the ruling elite
this week.
The protests were
sparked by the resignation
of veteran leader Serzh
Sarkisian as Armenians demand
democratic reform in
the former Soviet republic.
The protests are being
led by opposition activist
Nikol Pashinyan and Armenian
rthodo priests hae
joined the rallies in an apparent
attempt to prevent
possible clashes.
“The protestors have
been chanting “We are the
masters of our country” and
that “The head has been
chopped off, referrin
to Sarkisian’s resignation -
“but the body remains and
it needs to be removed.”
The Secretary of Ryde’s
Multicultural Community
Centre and a local Armenian
community leader
Jerry Papikian told The
Weekly Times that he does
not believe the government
has the military might to put
down such a large number
of protestors.
“This is a revolution,
the people have risen up
against corruption and are
demanding democracy,”
he said.
“I’m very proud of the way
the Armenian people have
risen up without violence
and have attempted what
any proud nation would.”
Mr Papikian said the revolution
could have a profound
impact on Armernians
in Ryde.
“My wish is that, through
this revolution, Armenians
throughout the diaspera
will be granted citizenship
in Armenia and that Australia
will grant us dual citizenship.
“Once Armenia has a
proper democracy it will
give the western world
confidence to inest in rmenia
and we will see real
change, I’m optimistic this
will happen.”
Other Armenians who
spoke with The Weekly
Times said they would be
praying for their devoutly
Christian country and
urged Ryde residents of all
denominations to keep Armenia
in their prayers.
“Armenians have a strong
Christian faith ... at the time
the protests started we
had around 160 people in
our community turn up to
our church in Chatswood
to pray.”” City of Ryde Clr
Sarkis Yedelian OAM said.
“They believe that change
can come from peaceful
protest and as we have
seen, not one bullet was
fired, there were no tyres
set on fire and there was no
(crackdown) on the protest.
Armenia inherited a largely
authoritarian government
after the fall of the Soviet
Union and Armenians in
eile hope their country will
follow the lead of the Baltic
nations which shoo off the
communist yoke, political
corruption and entrenched
poverty.
But unlike the Baltic nations,
Russia has a large
military base in Armenia
and the Russian military
has said that while it was
watching unfolding events
“very closely” it would not
interfere.
The ecretary o Rydes ulticultural ounity entre
erry aikian raised the restraint bein shown by
hue deonstrations in renias caital erean.
TWT on-the-sot T
Italian mayors are welcomed to Ryde
TWO Mayors from the Italian region of Reggio, Calabria attended Tuesday night’s meeting of
the City of Ryde Council to pay tribute to the contribution of the local Italian speaking community.
Martone Mayor Giorgio
Imperitiva and San
Giovanni di Gerace
Mayor Pino Vumbuca
(pictured, right) were
welcomed by Mayor
erome aale and former
Mayor Ivan Petch,
who was instrumental
in promoting the Italo-
Australian friendship
agreement, established
in 2004.
“George is also the
President of the Locri
Region of Councils
which comprises the
42 councils which
signed the Friendship
Agreement with
the City of Ryde,” Mr
Petch said.
“This agreement recognises
the contribution
Italians from the
region made to Ryde,
especially the contribution
of the market
gardeners.”
Mr Imperitiva and
Mr Vumbaca both addressed
the council
meeting and it was Mr
Vumbaca who took up
Mr Petch’s words of
praise.
“So many residents
from our village migrated
from our village
to Ryde and we say
thank you for the welcome
they received,”
he said.
“You, my fellow citizens
are a role model
for Italians from all over
the world.”