BASS Coast Shire Council have located a plaque that went missing during the construction of Berninneit after a question was posed during last week’s council meeting by Sue Chadwick.
At the time Sue asked, “For many years a plaque honouring the service of volunteer ambulance drivers existed on a Memorial Garden outside the old 'Civic Centre' in Cowes. Councillors, will you find this plaque and restore it outside Berninneit? As unpaid volunteers will always be the nucleus of any community and rarely acknowledged.”
At the time the Council were unsure of it’s location, stating “Council recognises and values the substantial contribution made by volunteers to our community. This plaque was installed on a fountain at the front of the former Cowes Civic Centre and removed some time before the building was demolished. The present location of this plaque is unknown.”
However, in a matter of days it appears the plaque has been located with Bass Coast Shire Council releasing the following statement late on Monday evening.
“At the September 17 Council Meeting, a community member asked Council about the location of a Shire of Phillip Island plaque honouring the service of the voluntary drivers of the South Gippsland District Ambulance Service.
The plaque was located outside the former Cowes Cultural Centre and removed prior to the construction of Berninneit. At the time of the Council Meeting, the plaque’s location was unknown.
The plaque has now been located in a paddock on Phillip Island.
Council will restore the plaque to display at Berninneit as soon as is practicable.
Council sincerely thanks the community for their input to locating the missing plaque.”
