In this opinion piece, Bradbury resident SUZANNE HALL argues that the Macarthur Centre for Sustainable Living at Mount Annan performs an important community role and deserves to continue receiving funding.
I am very concerned that the Macarthur Centre for Sustainable Living at Mount Annan may lose valuable funding from Campbelltown Council this year.
I, and others, have found it to be an incredible source of learning in relation to living a sustainable life now and into the future.
The environment will face more challenges and food scarcity will become a very real issue for many in our state, country and world-wide.
Learning how to successfully grow one’s own food, re-use leftovers so that family budgets can be better managed and how best to keep rubbish out of landfill is important.
The Centre for Sustainable Living also provides some fabulous activities for the little members of our society.
Thinking about how funding could potentially be continued I believe that if the Mayor of Campbelltown, Dr George Greiss, and the Mayor of Camden Council, Ashleigh Cagney, would meet to discuss this issue they could find the solution and keep the centre open.
Perhaps if each council divided the amount required to operate this charitable enterprise at the present time, which I think is around $150,000 per year, the centre could continue its invaluable service to our communities.
So, 75,000 from each Council is not a huge ask, is it?
After all Camden has $23 million for a facelift of John Street and The Billabong Parkland cost $34 million to build.
Obviously, both these ventures had government funding but that means the two councils are able to fund valuable programs such as the Macarthur Centre for Sustainable Living.
Some restructuring of those employed by the Centre could also save money. However, to really give our communities the very best service, security of tenure should be reviewed too.
I sincerely hope that our councils will review any decision to cut funding from this wonderful resource.
What reason did both councils give for stopping support?
It would be a great idea to put it to a vote and let the ratepayers have a say
Having attended a number of training and general interest classes at the Macarthur Centre for Sustainable Living, I feel it would be devastating if the funding for this great centre of learning and education was reduced or stopped.
The centre does provide some of its own funding but it still needs and I would say deserves the small amount of funding being asked for. Both councils have thrown a lot of money at ill thought of projects but do not want to continue to fund this well run and proven community centre.
Come on Campbelltown and Camden Councils, please continue to contribute funding to this great community asset.