Nicolle Flint (Boothby, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week I visited the Seacliff Recreation Centre to meet with the wonderful centre volunteers and to see how our coalition government community grant has helped the centre do what it does best in supporting the community in my electorate of Boothby. The grant enabled the Seacliff Recreation Centre to install new outdoor lighting and an alarm system to increase the safety and security of centre users and of the centre itself.

I was given a tour of the centre by President Beverly Manns, under whose leadership the centre has built on its considerable success as a busy community hub. The centre has over 1,500 active members and hosts many groups, including the local gymnastics club, Seacliff Calisthenics, judo, KinderGym, jujitsu and the Seacliff Neighbourhood Watch. All of these sports groups are supported by many qualified coaches and the centre keeps busy with training sessions scheduled every weekday and night plus weekends for 47 weeks of the year.

Sadly, I couldn't make it to the centre's 2016 AGM but I would like to congratulate all the hard-working volunteers who received awards, including John Bollinger, who received a Certificate of Recognition for his long-standing support for the centre since 1973, and new Life Members, President Beverly Manns and Secretary Melissa Watts. Beverly and Melissa are involved in the KinderGym and the Judo Club respectively.

I was honoured to present a Certificate of Recognition to Treasurer Ute Jefferies, recognising her wonderful work at the 2015 AGM. The efforts of mother-and-son team Carolyn and Anthony Daly, who have given a combined 20 years of service between them, were also acknowledged in 2015. I must also congratulate the Seacliff Calisthenics Club for celebrating their 60th year of service in 2016. The club started in 1956 and is still going strong, testament to the wonderful volunteers and parents who run it and the girls who practice and compete. My grandmother did calisthenics and so did my sister and I. And, as I think a lot of people here know, I often wear my grandmother's calisthenics medal—as I am today.

I acknowledge Seacliff Calisthenics Chairperson Annette Simpson and board representative Megan Simpson who this year accepted the South Australian Premier's Certificate recognising the club's outstanding volunteer service over six decades. On behalf of the City of Holdfast Bay, Councillor Linda Yates also presented Sue Edward with a Certificate of Appreciation for her contribution volunteering for Seacliff Calisthenics for an impressive 35 years!

Over the summer break the centre resurfaced and polished their timber floors, put on a fresh coat of paint and cleaned their equipment ready for the busy year ahead. Late last year the centre also made the wise move of installing 80 solar panels, which will undoubtedly help with their operating costs. I look forward to enjoying activities at the centre in the weeks and months to come, and I congratulate all of the wonderful volunteers there for the great work that they do.