Over 40 people turned out to celebrate the Winter Solstice at NCCC’s new venue, Downer Community Hall in Frencham Place. The evening started off festively with lanterns and candles to lead the way, big vats of spiced mulled wine (the Jamie Oliver recipe) and warm cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven.
The group gathered to hear from the government about recent ideas for Haig Park, and from the Downer Community Association’s Convenor about what’s been happening lately in Downer with the sympathetically renovated shops, CHC’s development on the old primary school site, and the light rail station proposed on the Federal Highway.
Heritage, biodiversity and climate change responses were a recurring theme in the discussions. Landcare groups were suggested as a practical way to help manage parks, and there was general support for providing a range of play spaces, and planning for new community facilities such as preschools, suited to a diverse and intensifying set of needs as population density in North Canberra increases.