The Guyra Garden Club has been awarded three grants to build phase 1 of its Spring Flower Festival.
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During the past six months the club has been busy making grant applications to fund the construction of a memorial avenue and mandala meditative garden as the central and first part of a proposed Guyra Spring Flower Festival initiative.
The grants totalling $70000 are to be provided through Australian government programs with each grant for a specific purpose designed to achieve the total project goal.
The goal of a memorial avenue was first proposed by the then Guyra Shire Council in 1951 - 70 years ago.
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The club's president, Wendy Mulligan, said the location of the memorial avenue and mandala garden is the park adjacent to and west of the railway line in Bradley Street/Lagoon Road.
"It is opposite the Bowling Club and the Guyra Garden Club's existing garden which was created some 30 years ago," Ms Mulligan said.
This Park is currently known as Rotary Park and Apex Park.
Ms Mulligan said the first grant was for $10000 from the Fire Fight Australia Fund
"It was provided by the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal - Strengthening Rural Communities grant program in partnership with the Australian Government," she said.
"Its use is for the purchase of trees for the memorial avenue, the preparation of the land and then the planting of the trees."
The second grant received, also for $10000, is provided by the Department of Veterans' Affairs through the Saluting Their Service Commemorative Grants program.
"The purpose of this grant is for signage in relation to each tree," Ms Mulligan said.
"A QR code will be attached to each sign to give immediate information on the serviceperson the tree relates to."
The third grant is provided by the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal - Tackling Tough Times Together program in partnership with the Australian Government.
"This $50000 grant will be used for the design and construction of the mandala meditative garden and associated facilities," Ms Mulligan said.
Club member, Sharon Bowles said the support of local members and council was greatly appreciated.
"The Hon. Barnaby Joyce MP, Federal Member for New England and the Hon. Adam Marshall MP, State Member for Northern Tablelands, Minister for Agriculture and Minister for Western NSW, both helped with identifying available grants programs and in supporting the club's applications," she said.
"So too is the support of the Armidale Regional Council, by letter and by council resolution to enable the use of the Park for this purpose."
Treasurer, David Kanaley said the completion of a memorial avenue and mandala meditative garden as part of a Guyra Spring Flower Festival will strengthen the resilience of the Guyra community.
"They will support the economic recovery of Guyra, especially its main street businesses from the recent drought and nearby fires, diversify the local economy by encouraging visitors and tourists to the town and build community pride and self-image," Mr Kanaley said.
"As the grants are highly competitive, the outcome of three successful applications out of three attempts is a perfect result."
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