Five years of driving community connections

WHAT do volunteer firefighters, children from Risdon Vale and seniors from South Arm have in common?

Well, the answer is a bus – the South Arm, Risdon Vale, Warrane Mornington Community Bus to be specific.

2016 marks five years of the bus’ operation, which was initiated by neighbourhood centres at Risdon Vale and Warrane Mornington, the South Arm Peninsula Residents Association Inc (SAPRA) and Clarence City Council.

The Christian Family Centre at Risdon Vale was later welcomed into this active partnership.

The 11-seater bus was purchased through the Cars for Communities project in 2011, with the project aiming to provide new social experiences for people who are socially or geographically isolated.

During its five years of operation, the bus has completed more than 400 trips and carried more than 3000 passengers to events, lunches, shopping and day journeys.

It has delivered the Risdon Vale volunteer firefighters to compete at the state championships, taken local children on bike camps and on Christmas light tours, as well driven groups from Warrane Mornington Neighbourhood Centre on day trips.

For South Arm residents, for whom public transport is particularly limited, the bus has transported happy travellers to open gardens, events or simply lunch and shopping in new areas.

Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and the kind, thoughtful and cheerful” volunteer drivers have also been commended for donating their time to create social connections.

For more information about the bus, contact any of the project partners listed below.

Risdon Vale Neighbourhood Centre

Ann Harrison (centre coordinator) on 6243 5752 or rvncanne@bigpond.com

Warrane Mornington Neighbourhood Centre

Leanne Doherty (centre manager) on 6244 6346 or warranec@bigpond.com

South Arm Peninsula Residents Association Inc

Kerry Scambler (president) on 0407 875 460 or Kerry@theKSprinciple.com.au

Clarence City Council

Julie Andersson (community development officer) on 6245 8780 or jandersson@ccc.tas.gov.au

Christian Family Centre, Risdon Vale

Ruth Verkoeyen on 6243 6336 or Hobart@familycentre.org.au

Caption: The Risdon Vale Bike Collective recently ran two mountain biking camps with youth using the community bus to transport participants and tow the trailer full of bikes.