Bairnsdale parkrun is our weekend starter

Since its inception in our town, the Port has been home to Bairnsdale parkrun. Every Saturday we gather under the shelter for morning briefing. Milestones are shared and stories are told. It is a community event each week that brings us together. I started as a solo parkrunner and regular volunteer. Now every week even my four year old runs the river (she achieved her own milestone today!) and I am a RD for Bairnsdale parkrun. It is a place where my family starts their weekend and enjoys the company of others.

Unfortunately, the site itself could do with a face-lift. We often arrive to broken bottles and rubbish left behind by others, which we regularly clean to improve the cleanliness and safety of the site. The roof has bricks on it - are they holding down the tin so it’s stays in place? The toilets don’t allow for changing or small children to feel safe. No soap is provided, which could help improve hygiene.

The Port of Bairnsdale site has so much potential for use by the community. Upgraded toilets, shelter and even a small playground would attract people to use the site more regularly. For parkrun, a lockable space to store equipment would also be an asset to us. We currently transport equipment each week that could be stored rather than requiring volunteers to look after. As this is a free community event each week, we would be grateful for a safe place for our operations equipment. Thank you for considering this in the new master plan.