Mr John Deuis delivers a passionate plea to Wagga Council on Monday (28 October) for Forest Hill to receive a community facility in some capacity. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
Wagga Wagga City Council (WWCC) has agreed to provide a report about providing a public community space for the people of Forest Hill.
The Forest Hill community have been without a town hall or some form of public venue for more than two years, since WWCC took over the suburb’s tennis club and demolished its clubhouse in 2022, due to safety reasons.
Following speaking with Forest Hill resident John Deuis about the lack of public facilities for the community in Wagga’s most eastern suburban suburb, Cr Tim Kochel brought forward a notice of motion requesting WWCC to start the process of constructing a community hall in Forest Hill.
“Forest Hill is a low socio-economic community isolated by distance, with a rough population of 3000 people surrounded by a RAAF Base, an airport and two of Wagga’s four caravan parks,” Mr Deuis said.
“We don’t have a single community meeting place, a bike track, a functioning footpath network or a safe school crossing. Our last hall was a condemned asbestos-ridden shoebox that was deemed unsafe and demolished without replacement.
“There is also no hiding that Gumly and Forest Hill have become the de facto halfway homes of Wagga. Our suburb has become the overflow for Wagga’s crisis housing and it has increased the safety risks for our community families.”
During Monday night’s meeting, Mr Deuis continued his plea with WWCC by sharing a devastating personal story about the passing of his son.
Due to the lack of public facilities in the area, his son’s wake had to be moved to Lake Albert, with a very small number of his schoolmates being able to attend.
“My son, Keith, died on April 24 this year, devastating us and the local community,” Mr Deuis said.
“He was never able to see a Forest Hill Community Group or sporting club. What rubs salt into the wound is we were unable to host his wake at Forest Hill. Almost 250 attended his funeral with another 100 families watching online at home.
“I never thought I’d be here [at the WWCC meeting] showing my dead son’s future to convey what a community space means to Forest Hill. We do the heavy lifting in social work out in Forest Hill, please give us the bare minimum to support each other.
“Give the members of the Forest Hill community something they can hold onto and be proud of, something to build friendships and somewhere they can celebrate the lives of people in their community.”
All nine councillors voted in favour of WWCC receiving a report on the progress of constructing a community hall in Forest Hill.
The report will look into whether plans are in place to construct a community hall, and if plans haven’t started, what the process of replacing the community space that was demolished entails and which funding sources are available to get the plans up and running, including any government grants.
Council is hoping to receive the report by the end of 2024.
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