President’s Observations
The summer has treated us kindly. Hardly any activities were cancelled because of heat and only a few were abbreviated. The 2025 programme is filling with a mix of favourites plus some not seen before, especially trips. These spread across all 3 of our pursuits. The Murramarang walking and paddling escapade in March has 20 bookings and probably could take just a couple more.
Our Xmas party had a record attendance. The Committee will be looking at enhancing next year’s event by improving on the dining/entertaining aspects as well as treating the AGM as a stand-alone event. Phil Prentice and the entertainment team deserve great credit for converting Phil’s brief flash of inspiration, into the night that was.
The NSW Upper House Inquiry into e-scooters, e-bikes and other e-mobility devices, to which our club assisted by lodging a submission and appearing at a hearing has handed down a report of 184 pages. Probably because our submission looked at the entire subject from the viewpoints of both walkers and cyclists, we were heard. The Government can choose which, if any, of the 34 recommendations it will try to legislate. The summary prepared by the Bicycle Network is the most compact I’ve seen.
The nearly decades long ambition of a shared path for walkers and pedallers around Lake Illawarra may move closer to fruition as Sam Garrett-Jones leads our club’s interest in the subject at a Wollongong Council led forum in the coming week.
Also happening as we go to print is a 1st aid-course aimed at our paddling fraternity. Similarly subsidised courses for walkers and cyclists will follow. A long-term dream is to have a qualified 1st aider on every activity. Allied to that is a serious discussion the committee is having on the subject of “when to call an ambulance.” The wording of the guidelines for leaders will come soon. The main hitches are costs for those without ambulance insurance cover and if the injured insists on no ambulance.
In the meantime, stay outdoors, on the path, track or water and naturally try to stay away from ambulances.
John