Time to nominate ancestors

Time is running out to nominate people whose names will be included at the Sesquicentenary Pioneer Garden.

CLARENCE Valley residents and descendants of local pioneering families have less than two weeks left to nominate their ancestors for a place among those to be officially acknowledged in Grafton’s Sesquicentennial Pioneer Garden.

The garden is being developed on the old Pioneer Park, at the corner of Turf and Fry streets, site of the area’s first community burial ground.

It is the final project of the Clarence Valley Council’s Sesquicentennial Committee, which organised celebrations of the 150th anniversary of local government in the area last year.

One feature of the park will be a Pioneer Wall of Remembrance, with bronze plaques recording the names and honouring the work of early residents on the upper and lower Clarence.

A meeting of the committee has agreed to extend to February 18 the date for nomination for inclusions on the memorial wall.

Co-ordinator of the project, Nola Mackey, said already more than 50 families had made donations to the project, nominating forebears to be acknowledged.

Many more had expressed an interest in the project and the extended time limit would enable them to finalise donations now the holiday season was over.

Those interested should contact Mrs Mackey on 6644 9465.

The garden is expected to be complete and ready for official opening in late March. Committee chair, Shirley Adams said it had been an outstanding project.

Apart from donations from the federal government and the council, tens of thousands of dollars in cash and kind had been provided by industrial and community groups and well-wishing individuals right across the Valley and beyond.