John Alexander (Bennelong, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I know that everybody in this chamber has been waiting with bated breath on the progress of the Epping Scouts' Meadowbank boatshed. I'm delighted to announce the keys have been handed over and this state-of-the-art facility will be opening soon for the Scouts. The Meadowbank boatshed has been the hub of local Scouts for decades, but those years are starting to show between the forces of children's chaos and Mother Nature's tide, not to mention concrete cancer. The old boatshed's time was up, but building a boatshed, wharf and jetty over the Parramatta River is not as simple as a standard Scout shed in the bush, and many long years had passed between the need arising and the funds being found. I'm delighted to have been part of the process with this government delivering $350,000 towards the project and more delighted with the speed with which the building went up in the following months. I am yet to visit the completed building. I was there in September as the decking was being laid. It looks fantastic with its graceful lines mirroring the ferry wharf next door. Congratulations to Epping Scouts for getting this up so quickly and especially to Peter Buckley and Alan Cunningham for their tireless efforts. They have a great resource which will enrich the experiences of Scouts across Bennelong. I look forward to seeing it shining there for many decades to come.