Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall, left, pictured with Dangarsleigh Local Area Group Secretary Judith Grieve OAM and President Peter Elliott at the Dangarsleigh War Memorial this morning.
MEMBERS of the Dangarsleigh Local Area Group (DLAG) are looking forward to finishing the stone pillar fence around the WWI memorial and cenotaph on Dangar Falls Road after receiving a $7,524 grant from the NSW Government’s Community War Memorial Grants Fund.
Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall met with DLAG committee members this morning to deliver the good news and discuss their plans for the fence’s construction.
Mr Marshall said that the fund had been established by the NSW Government to allow communities to continue to honour the contributions made by servicemen and women by helping with the protection and restoration of war memorials across NSW.
“I believe we have a responsibility to maintain our war memorials as a means of demonstrating that the sacrifices made by our servicemen and women have not, and will not, be forgotten,” Mr Marshall said.
“The Dangarsleigh War Memorial and cenotaph is in excellent condition but when the stone pillar and steel rail fence bordering the site was built in 1930s, the local committee obviously ran out of funding, leaving the fence about 11metres short of the corner of the property.
“So to complete the enclosure, the committee then constructed a wire netting fence which runs from the end of the lovely stone wall on Dangar Falls Road to the corner of the carpark gate. It’s quite decrepit and detracts from the memorial so I’m delighted the local area group can now complete the fence properly.”
Dangarsleigh Local Area Group Secretary Judith Grieve said the news was very welcome and thanked Mr Marshall for his support.
“Its wonderful news and we’re absolutely delighted we can now finish off this fence properly,” Mrs Grieve said.
“It’s been a thorn in my side for over 40 years; every time I drive past the memorial I notice the ugly netting fence. It detracts from this wonderful memorial and we’re thrilled we can now finish this project that was started so many years ago.
“We have received a quote from a stonemason and the material will be sourced locally.
“As this year is the Centenary of ANZAC it is more important than ever that our community war memorial is shown to be valued and cared for.”