Tell us about SAPRA. What do you do?
We do a lot! SAPRA was set up in 1989 with the aim of building a community centre and gymnasium. After raising $100,000 the centre was built with the assistance of state and federal government funding and Clarence City Council providing the land.
Today the centre is home to the South Arm Songsters (community choir), the Iron Plot Community Garden, a welcoming community library offering good books and good company, a fantastic and evolving history room, a newly rejuvenated community market, the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), the Garden Club and of course, SAPRA.
The original committee’s aims of promoting and protecting the interests and welfare of those in the community has continued for almost 30 years.
During that time it has:
- Built the Labyrinth on Potters Hill Reserve with the support of Clarence City Council;
- Managed the South Arm Community Market, currently undergoing renewal;
- Initiated and planted the Flowering Gum Avenue, Opossum Bay to South Arm with the support of Clarence City Council;
- Initiated and project-managed the South Arm Convict Trail;
- Provides a newsletter to around 1,800 households across the peninsula;
- Raised startup funds for CERT and provides administrative support;
- Partners with Risdon Vale and Warrane/Mornington Neighbourhood Houses, Council and Risdon Vale Family Church to provide a community bus;
- Built a 6km multi-use path from Opossum Bay to The Neck with the support of Clarence City Council;
- Provides scenic and memorial seating across the community;
- Initiated the annual Honey & Bee Market, and prompted the formation of the Junior Beekeeper Association;
- Provided an auspicing body so smaller groups can achieve much more; and
- Much more over many years.
SAPRA works with all levels of government but has developed a very good working relationship with Clarence City Council. This has enabled many projects, large and small, come to fruition. Council and other government representatives realise that South Arm is a can-do community – they know we will help ourselves if they help us get started and back us.
SAPRA is currently supporting the Save St Barnabas Working Group which is working hard on many levels to fulfill the community’s wish that our historic church and cemetery be owned and managed by the community.
How does your organisation operate? How does someone go about accessing your activities?
SAPRA is run by a management committee that meets monthly but does much work in between by good communication, electronically and in person. The committee includes people of all ages with a great range of experience who all believe in a strong community and we simply really love where we live. We also have the support of a number of wonderful volunteers.
Our activities can be followed on the SAPRA and other related Facebook pages and through the South Arm newsletter (delivered to Peninsula households and available via email on request.) Please contact us about any of the activities.
If you could give one health and wellbeing tip, what would it be?
Make the effort to get out and connect with others and the places you love. If you struggle, reach out to one person or organisation and it might just snowball from there. Take the first step, however small.
How can we improve health and wellbeing in our city?
Get/keep the smaller communities connected and help those in the suburbs connect with those smaller communities as well.
Finally, where does SAPRA operate? What is the contact number and email address?
SAPRA’s home base is the South Arm Community Centre, 9 Calverton Place.
Contact Kerry Scambler, President: 0407 875 460 | SAPRAPres@southarm.tas.au
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