PHOTO: Mary Skuthorp and Mayor Tim Horan at Coonamble Shire Council’s empty block on Aberford St, soon to be transformed into a commemoratie space for the Brigidine Sisters 140th anniversary.
by LIAM MULHALL
IN preparation for the Brigidine sisters’ 140th anniversary celebrations in September this year Coonamble Shire Council will be partnering with the organising committee to bring a special piece of infrastructure to our main street.
At their meeting in Quambone on Wednesday 13 July, Council agreed to a commemorative space featuring a plaque and a seat to be stationed at the council-owned block of land on Castlereagh Street adjacent to the corner block.
On behalf of the ‘140 years of Brigidine Tradition in Coonamble’ committee, Mary Skuthorp says the nuns are humbled by the inclusion.
“The nuns wanted to give something back and have a presence in the community,” said Mrs Skuthorp.
“They’re quite humbled over the space, it’s a way to say thank you for all their years of service and recognise them.”
“It will have some words and some history on the Brigidines as well, and a list of their names too.”
Coonamble Shire Mayor Tim Horan says he is excited for the collaboration between council and the community.
“Our focus is that it is a community project, Clontarf are doing the designs, and we have worked with Mary (Skuthorp) and the committee to get it ready for September,” said Cr Horan.
“It will be ready by 14 September, maybe not the final stage of it, but there will be something there.”
“Over time we’ll work towards the final product.”
Cr Horan says the community collaborations will not stop there.
He says that members of the Brigidine committee members will continue working with council on the main street beautification.
“Mary, me, and a few other members wanted to be involved with the main street and continue working on it,” said Cr Horan.
“Building that community ownership and pride is important, otherwise anything we could do is just another thing that council has put somewhere.”
“And the beautification works start with us, we’re talking a lot about the main street so we want to do something with our block.”
Previous plans are still on the cards
Mayor Horan says that despite the block now being used as a memorial for the Brigidines, previous commitments to the block can still be maintained.
“We can still use some of Eccle’s (Cr Terry Lees) ideas for the space,” said Cr Horan.
In the Coonamble Shire Council general meeting on 10 May, council resolved to install promotional screening along the trellis nearby and to investigate options for the empty wall on the block, which adjoins Halcroft & Bennett, to be used for the Brigidine’s commemorative space.