BMX Club: 'Flooding and devastation took what morale we had'

THE Walkerston BMX club were just starting rebuild the track after the huge rainfull earlier this year before Tropical Cyclone Debbie hit.

Geoff Berger, of Origin Energy, presents the $10,000 grant to Justin Skaines, Ian and Bronti Whitmore, Kirsty and Sienna Skaines and (back) Aiden Parish, Tyler Skaines, Connor Parish and Liam Skaines. Picture: Contributed

WALKERSTON BMX club was just starting to rebuild its track after heavy rain earlier this year when Tropical Cyclone Debbie came to town.

Visiting the track for the first time after last week's massive flooding was a devastating moment for members.

When Bakers Creek broke its banks, the club lost everything in its registration hut, including scanners, printers, documents, clothing and even mowers and cars.

"We had just got to the stage where we were happy with it and were getting ourselves back on track,” club vice president Ian Whitmore said.

"The flooding and devastation took what morale we had.”

But there's a silver lining to TC Debbie's cloud. The club now has $10,000 to put towards repairs after getting a community grant from Origin LPG.

Whitmore said they would use the funding to bitumen the berms around the track.

"The track has been suffering all year, that's why we originally applied for the grant,” he said. "Every time we get something fixed it just gets washed away.”

While the grant had come at a perfect time to help the club get back on its feet, Whitmore said it was upsetting they wouldn't be able to use all of the money as planned. "Hopefully, we can get most of everything we want done with that and some,” he said.

Members will be volunteering around their own jobs to fix up the track.

"A lot of hours and sweat are going to go into getting it up and running, including working at night, but we will make it happen,” Whitmore said.

"It has to happen, it's all for the kids. That's why we do it.

"We have faced obstacles before, we'll face them again,” he said.

The grant is part of a community program from Origin LPG aimed at rewarding and recognising the great work done by local sporting clubs in the community.

Walkerston was chosen to receive $10,000 after hundreds of clubs throughout the country applied.

"Walkerston was able to demonstrate how they would use the $10,000 to improve their facilities and allow them to offer greater access and services to the community all year round,” an Origin spokesperson said. "We look forward to seeing how the funds will benefit the club, their members and the broader community for many years to come.

Originally published as BMX Club: 'Flooding and devastation took what morale we had'