IMAGE: parkes shire council

Local talent and community groups in the Parkes Shire will feature in a special show to mark the official opening of the new multi-purpose centre in Cooke Park.

Council will form a Cooke Park Multi-purpose Centre Inaugural Performance Committee to manage the event.

Construction of the new pavilion on Welcome Street is progressing well, with work expected to be completed by December this year.

“The multi-purpose centre will become a feature in Council’s landscape for years to come, so it’s only fitting that we hold a very special celebratory opening,” said Mayor Ken Keith OAM.

The event is expected to feature local Parkes Shire talent and community groups. It will also provide an opportunity for Council to test out the functionality of the new centre including audio, lighting, backdrop and screen into green room, use of side screens and filming, prior to the 2021 Parkes Elvis Festival.

The official opening will be a post COVID-19 event.

Maralyn Nash in her art studio at home.

True to the phrase ‘every cloud has a silver lining’, I have found this time of enforced isolation to be a wonderful opportunity to finally have the time again to become completely immersed in my art.

Having time to dream and reconnect with my imagination and creative ideas and retreating into my inner artist’s world has felt like going back in time, to be living again at a much slower and gentler pace of life.

I love working from my home art studio where I have created an inspirational artistic environment surrounded by Indian and African artefacts, textiles and colourful prints and paintings from my bohemian travelling days.

And being surrounded by the beauty of my garden with nature all around me and various walking trails only footsteps away, has certainly helped me to create a safe and harmonious sanctuary to live and work in during these uncertain and unprecedented times.

Although it has been a massive adjustment to adapt to a much more socially isolated lifestyle, especially being used to regular trips to Sydney and the south coast beaches, as well as frequently flying inter- state to visit my son.

As I have reduced my art therapy client work, I have been able to focus on completing the artworks to go with my book ‘The Naked Artist Journey’, which is a large project I have been working on for over five years.

Parkes Shire General Manager, Kent Boyd.

The Parkes Shire Council will be building up its reserves over the next two years for future projects as set out in the draft Operational Budget and Plan for 2020-21.

“Over the past five years, there has been over $195 million in assets constructed which is probably the biggest build over a five-year period that Council has ever done,” said Parkes Shire General Manager, Kent Boyd at the May Council meeting last week.

“We have done that with the assistance of substantial grants, but it’s now time to exercise a little bit of moderation to build our finances back up for the next term of council.”

Kent said the focus was on completing the projects that were currently going. “We want to finish those off and start to strengthen our reserve balance.”

The draft operational budget and plan will go on public exhibition after it was adopted by Councillors last Tuesday.

“It is a difficult year for a lot of people. We currently have a two-stream economy running in the Shire. People involved in the construction, mining and agricultural industries are thriving, while our hospitality and retail sector have felt the full impact of COVID-19,” said Parkes Shire Mayor, Cr Ken Keith OAM.

He made special mention that over 50% of the budget would go towards roads, rates and sewer across the Shire, ensuring that service delivery to the community continues to be priority.

Councillors Alan Ward and Neil Westcott both commented on the tough times continuing on from the effects of the ongoing drought, and hardships in front of us because of COVID-19.

“We must now buckle down to make sure we do everything we can to support our ratepayers during this time of hardship,” said Alan.

The Mayor reminded residents to contact Council’s Finance Team for a confidential discussion if they were experiencing hardship in paying rates.

Cooke Park Café in Welcome Street.

After the closure of the Cooke Park Café last year, Tammy Alexander saw an opportunity and re-opened the cafe in late December 2019.

Since the re-opening, she and her six staff members have been very busy. Tammy has more plans and is looking at introducing a breakfast menu on weekends.

During the recent strict pandemic regulations, the café started providing various types of dinner packs, from roast dinners to T-bone steaks, on top of their normal meals offered as a take away.

My partner and I have become regulars at the Cooke Park Café over the past two months of lockdown. Our menu has been Wednesday night’s hamburger with the works, Friday night’s seafood box and on Sunday Night we enjoyed the roast.

My favourite is their hamburger and my partner enjoys the Sunday roast dinners. When we have our granddaughter over, she likes to get the chicken nuggets.

Tammy, who grew up in Tullamore, went to school in Sydney and moved to Parkes with her family, worked in the food industry at a local hotel before taking over Cooke Park Café. She and her staff would like to say a big thank you to everyone in Parkes for their support during these times and look forward to serving you in the future.

By Keith Turk

Videographer Andrew Barnes films Tiffany Steel, one of two Parkes locals to be featured in the We Want You Back tourism campaign.

Two local identities were filmed this week for a new campaign to showcase our shire’s quirky experiences, iconic attractions and unique character.

The Parkes Shire has teamed up with 10 other local government areas for the ‘We Want You Back’ campaign targeting visiting friends and relatives (VFR). The VFR market makes up 35 to 40% of travellers to the region.

Tiffany Steel, home grown events and marketing specialist and daughter of the Parkes Elvis Festival founders Bob and Ann Steel, will highlight the heritage and pop culture experiences, boutique accommodation, and shopping and dining options.

Jim O’Donoghue, well-known local business owner of Moo Ma’s Milk, will highlight the range of family fun and adventure experiences that our region has to offer.

The aim is to create a personal connection between the locals and travellers, with the expert knowledge of renowned videographer Andrew Barnes capturing the con- tent including a series of video interviews and beautiful imagery.

“After being cooped up at home for the last few months, people are eager to get out and explore – many looking to reconnect with loved ones as a priority,” said Parkes Shire Mayor, Cr Ken Keith OAM.

The Mayor urged holidaymakers to still respect NSW Health guidelines by staying home when sick, and to practice good hygiene and social distancing to ensure visitors and the community are kept safe.

This Central West tourism campaign, to be launched next week across social and digital media channels and supported by a public relations campaign, coincides with the ease of restrictions from the 1st of June.

Other local government areas featured in the campaign include Bathurst, Blayney, Cabonne, Cowra, Forbes, Lachlan, Lithgow, Oberon, Orange and Weddin.

Local businesses and members of the community can join in the social campaign by sharing what they love about the Parkes Shire region by tagging @VisitParkesRegion on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and using the #wewantyouback.