News Archive 2010
Whales return to the Derwent Estuary
Batchelor's Grave 200th Anniversary
Scouts successful in bid for grant
In November the Taroona Scout Group was successful in obtaining a $14,700 Tasmanian Community Fund grant for improving hall facilities. This work will occur during 2010 covering floor re-sealing, light replacements, toilet improvements, window repair & guttering repairs.
Towards a Sustainable Taroona Community.....
On a beautiful spring Sunday afternoon, 19 Taroona residents gathered at the local hall to contemplate how Taroona can move forward on the issue of sustainability. This gathering followed on from an earlier sustainability meeting held in late July 2009 which investigated whether the Taroona community wishes to develop a sustainability group. (See report of TCA meeting July 23)
The meeting generated a list of issues of concern for further exploration. The July and this meetings concerns have been merged into one list detailed below.
Main Meeting recommendations:
That these ideas will be further presented to the community at the Taroona Seaside Festival to be held at Taroona Primary School on Saturday, 14 November.
An article be written outlining these issues and ideas in the next issue of the TCA newsletter, and this also be presented on the Taroona website.
A further meeting be held on Tuesday, 22 September to work on organisation of the stall and display for the Taroona Seaside Festival.
The issues are listed as follows:
1st Meeting Issues
- Celebrate the excellence of the schools - leading to building connections with the schools and playgroup
- Promote the "Eating with Friends" program
- Desire for more community celebration - build on community spirit
- Develop and run growers market
- Promote informal street gatherings
- Run regular sessions on home energy efficiency
- Develop register of local skills on the website to facilitate and encourage local residents to support local businesses.
- Investigate the development of a LETS style program
2nd Meeting Issues
- Facilitate networking between groups that are found in Taroona ( process would involve identifying them, contacting them and working with them)
- Develop small groups to bulk buy organic food produce (eg Biodistributors)
- Consider improved options for improved urban planning to facilitate the protection of Taroona's character (bushland hills, creeklines, large garden blocks); the integration of cycleways and pedestrian footpaths into the network of recreational links; the retention and protection of public open spaces and parks; and development of improved park-based infrastructure
- Establish and maintain a positive and constructive working relationship with politicians and government
- Encourage Local Government political representation for Taroona
- Develop a vision for the Shopping Centre
- Develop and run skills workshops on a range of topics including:
Improved home energy efficiency; retrofitting houses - Develop a "gardens for food" program encouraging residents to use backyards for growing food; include a program of tours of local food gardens.
- Develop and run a regular growers market which could be based at the Neighbourhood Garden
Develop a scheme to encourage purchasing and sharing of gear and equipment - Promotion that we have privileged lives; encouraging compassion and generosity for others in the world; and sharing this privilege with others in the world - eg climate refugees;
- Celebrate our diversity
- Develop a program to bulk buy solar photo voltaics, hot water systems, insulation, how to access green loans, how to improve energy efficiency in homes cost effectively.
- Develop the Taroona website to facilitate improved communication
- Improve links between Neighbourhood garden and Gardening Forum
- Improve education of all including our children - eg program of mentoring, tutoring from the school and links to the Taroona High School Association
- Sustainable transportation -program encouraging greater use of bicycles, repair sessions, etc.
