It’s not every day an eight-year-old gets a one-on-one with the Mayor, but when young Queenslander from Warwick, Ella Winfield, received a surprise visit from Southern Downs Regional Council Mayor, Tracy Dobie, she was all smiles.
Ella caught the attention of Council after penning a hand-written letter to Mayor Dobie in June.
Opting for blue stationery adorned with stars and rainbows for her official Council correspondence, Ella thoughtfully outlined a proposal for a ‘special park with mini roads, road signs, crossings and traffic lights’.
Ella wrote, “I think this will be very good for Warwick children to learn road rules at an early age riding their bikes or scooters at this park.
“I also think it will be lots of fun and will help children in the future when they learn to drive a car.”
Ella proposed Warwick’s Australiana Park for the new project because ‘it has lots of space’.
The Mayor took Ella’s idea to Council’s General Meeting in June and Council is now considering the feasibility of developing road safety parks in not only Warwick but in towns across the Southern Downs.
In a written response to Ella, the Mayor wrote, “Councillors resolved that Council would investigate the creation of ‘Learn to Ride a Bicycle Safely’ areas across the region, where children can learn to ride a bike or scooter”.
Following her letter, earlier this month the Mayor made a surprise visit to Australiana Park to discuss Ella’s ideas for the project.
The Mayor said Ella had put forward a ‘wonderful suggestion.’
“Young people are brimming with ideas and it’s important they have a voice and are heard on the issues that matter to them.
“I was very impressed by Ella and I am so pleased she put her idea to Council as it is a wonderful suggestion.
“If Council is able to go ahead with the project, Ella can say ‘that was my idea’, and Warwick might just have a budding young Councillor or Mayor on its hands!”
