TWT220818

Wednesday 22 August, 2018 THE WEEKLY TIMES 7
Lane Cove MP Anthony Roberts launches the celebration of 150 years of Catholic education in Hunters Hill with a blue ribbon event at Villa Maria Catholic Church in Hunters
ill on Friday, alongside teachers, parents and students. TWT on-the-spot PHOTO
Anthony Roberts MP launches celebration of 150 years of Catholic education
The celebration of 150 years of Catholic education in Hunters Hill was launched by Lane
Cove MP Anthony Roberts at Villa Maria Catholic Primary School in Hunters Hill on Friday.
Mr Roberts said the celebration will
culminate on Sunday, October 28
with a “Back to Villa” day and a Mass
to recognise Hunters Hill’s Marist
Fathers, Brothers, Sisters and laity.
A special feature of the celebration
will be the tying of ribbons - in the
navy blue of the Marist Order – on
schools, churches and homes.
“This huge stretch of ribbons
will represent the 150 years of the
Marist’s teaching in Hunters Hill and
I will also be planting 150 trees to
commemorate the 150 years,” Mr
Roberts said.
“This will acknowledge the contribution
the Marists and the Sisters
of St Joseph have made to local
schools like St Joeys, Villa Maria
and Marist Sisters (Woolwich) and
through the Holy Name of Mary
Catholic Church in Hunters Hill and
the Church of St Peter Chanel in
Woolwich.
“It will especially recognise the
contribution of our priests, brothers
and sisters as well as our teachers,
parents and students.”
The Marists were founded in Lyon,
France in 1816 as the Society of
Mary by Father Jean-Claude Colin.
The Society’s name derives from
the Order’s devotion to the Blessed
Virgin Mary, whose members imitate
her spirituality in their own spirituality
and daily work.
The Marists were assigned by the
Holy See to carry out missionary and
teaching work in Oceania (including
Australia) in the early 19th century
and were welcomed to the French
Village of Hunters Hill by French
speaking settlers.
The most famous of the Oceania
Marists is the Martyr Saint Peter
Chanel who was killed by natives
on the Island of Futuna on April 28,
1841.
His body was brought back to the
Procure Chapel in Gladesville on the
ship “Maukin” and then transferred
to Lyon in 1850.
Futuna Street in Hunters Hill is
named in his honour and the Church
of St Peter Chanel in Woolwich honours
the Saint with a statue of him
placed above the alter, over looking
a stained glass window of French
saint Margaret Mary Alacoque and a
statue of St Therse of Lisieux.
Saint Peter Chanel is recognised
as the patron saint of Oceania and -
because Australia is part of the Oceania
region - this Marist priest has
some claim to be our first Catholic
saint.
Tossers fines welcomed by Lane Cove MP
In the last three years,
tossers have been hit
with more than $8.3 million
in fines and the NSW
EPA has handed out over
29,000 penalty notices to
people littering from motor
vehicles thanks to increased
public reporting.
The latest figures were
welcomed by Lane Cove
MP Anthony Roberts on
Monday.
“The figures show the
community has had
enough of people trashing
their streets and the environment,
with 84 per cent
of the NSW population
agreeing litter fines should
be issued,” he said.
“There are more than
33,000 registered EPA litter
reporters out there, so
if you get caught littering
then you should expect a
fine.”
The increase in public
reporting is a ringing endorsement
of the EPA’s
Don’t be a Tosser! campaign
and the Report to
EPA system, which allows
people to report littering as
it happens.
The Honourable
Anthony Roberts MP
Member for Lane Cove
Boronia Park is undoubtedly one of the
most pleasant and utilised amenities in
Hunters Hill – a wonderful waterfront
parkland with natural bushland, a lovely
creek which tumbles down a waterfall
along the river’s edge.
But Boronia Park is also the site of much more. It’s the home of many sporting and
recreational activities enjoyed by so many citizens of the Lane Cove electorate.
And that’s why I was so pleased to recently announce a $1 million funding injection
for Hunters Hill Council that will deliver a much needed upgrade to the grandstand and
sporting fields at Boronia Park at Hunters Hill.
I am passionate about all of my constituents having access to participate and enjoy
active recreation and physical activity. Playing sport increase a child’s physical fitness;
and it’s a great way to learn important life skills like self-esteem, respect, collaboration.
It is a way to learn how to be a good sport, and a fair human, and our government
values this, with the Active Kids program we launched last year to encourage and
support greater participation in organised sport and fitness activities.
Boronia Park is one of the most popular sport and recreation facilities in the
Municipality of Hunters Hill, and a much loved asset to our local community. Over 2200
local residents are registered in the many organised sports clubs that call Boronia Park
home. These local champions are cheered on, coached and supported by another 1800
people weekly. When you add to these numbers the visiting players and supporters
who have the fortune to experience the beauty of Boronia Park, there’s enough people
to fill every seat in a world class stadium.
I strongly believe that our community deserves first-class sport and recreation
facilities, and this funding boost will help the council to deliver just that.
Boronia Park is long overdue some TLC. The upgrade to the iconic heritage grandstand
will bring it into the 21st century grandstand will not only benefit local residents but
the broader Ryde community for many generations to come. The upgrades will ensure
that our facilities work for all ages, abilities and genders, so that there is no barrier to
participation in the joy of organised sport. Women’s sport at Boronia Park is growing
fast, and we need to ensure our amenities are both inclusive and accessible to all
people. It will also support the clubs to continue to host important regional sports
events.
The money will also go to upgrading sporting fields where rugby, cricket, netball,
touch football, school sporting events and athletics carnivals, and even ultimate frisbee
are played with passion and vigour. Boronia Park is the place many learn their skills,
make lifelong friendships, and learn the value of belonging to a team. I am thrilled to
be able to help facilitate greater community connection to the active pursuit of sport
and recreation, whether it is through participation or supporting the importance of
belonging by coaching and officiating or organising.
Anthony Roberts
Phone: 9817 4757 | email: lanecove@parliament.nsw.gov.au