By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
THE Pearcedale Public Hall almost runs in secretary Maureen Smollen’s veins and her dream for a memorial garden next to the hall has finally come true.
“It’s been a dream of mine for many years,” she said.
“My mother was baptised in the hall in 1919 and I’ve been connected with the hall since the mid-nineties.”
With a big chunk of Ms Smollen’s family history linked to the Pearcedale Public Hall it was only fair she be made the boss of the construction and design of the garden.
“Everything had to go through me,” she said.
Left in good hands, the memorial garden has come up a treat with a plaque that reads the names of 28 local WWI veterans and Ms Smollen couldn’t be happier with the final result.
“I’m overwhelmed with the way it came up, the whole thing fits together nicely, the path is made out of cement but has been stencilled with different shapes and different colours,” she said.
The garden, pathway and plaque took about six months to complete and was helped along by a $9000 grant from the Federal Government.
Ms Smollen is hoping to add garden seats, more plaques in honour of WWII soldiers and a fence around the commemorative garden.
Ms Smollen is hoping members of the community will turn out in their hundreds to see the finished project and smell the rosemary.
On Anzac Day the Pearcedale Public Hall will hold its annual dawn service followed by a dedication service of the memorial garden and breakfast.
“We had around 600 people attend the dawn service last year and are expecting more this year,” Ms Smollen said.
“Last year we noticed more children coming which is just wonderful,” she said.
