General News
22 October, 2020
Richard Riordan checks tram progress
POLWARTH MP Richard Riordan stopped by Terang to check on the progress of the Terang Returned and Services Leagues (RSL) tram this week.
POLWARTH MP Richard Riordan stopped by Terang to check on the progress of the Terang Returned and Services Leagues (RSL) tram this week.
Mr Riordan said he originally became involved with the project approximately 18 months ago to assist with the submission to bring one of the 130 trams being released by the Victorian Government.
“This community sprung together to do all the hard work and put the fundraising in place to make it all happen,” he said.
“There was an initial grant of $5000 to help with the covering of the tram, so that was good, but I’ve done very little apart from being supportive of it.
“I’ve had a couple of visits to check on progress and it’s great to see the exterior now all under way.
“It’s good to see and I think what sets this RSL apart from most of the others is the activity and the vibrancy of the broader community that is involved here and the growing history collection that’s here is fantastic.”
Mr Riordan said an important part of community projects such as the upgrades to the RSL hall provide an opportunity for members of the community to leave a legacy and allow their hard work to be enjoyed by all.
“It’s great that people like to do things for their community so when a project like this comes up people can put in their labour of love, their interests and their skills,” he said.
“Just listen to the guys talk about the joy they’ve had from watching everyone else in Terang come by when the lights are turned on or to check up on the progress, it gives them a huge amount of reward for the work they’ve done,” he said.
Terang RSL Sub-Branch vice president Terry Fidge, a Vietnam veteran, said the small group of RSL members and close friends had invested over 5000 hours of work in the upgrades.
“There were five of us working in here right through winter, including an 86-year-old, Roger Primmer, who would come in and help us out with timbers,” he said.
“We never did anything without everyone who was working on this.
“Everyone was in agreeance and everybody had their voice to say whatever they thought, and we all worked on that.”
Mr Fidge said he had nicknamed the group of workers the 70 Plus Workers Group.
“The reason it is 70 plus is not because we had 70 people, but we are all in our 70s, except Rodger who is 86,” he said.
“We have gone periods in which we were working five days a week, now we’re only working two days a week and we’re just about finished.
“We’re looking forward to having a break because it has been a long haul.”