Village’s bright idea

By Jade Lawton
WILSON Botanic Park may be transformed in to a major tourist attraction, with Berwick Village seeking federal grants to transform the town in to a city of lights.
Under the scheme, the trees of Wilson Botanic Park would be lit up at night with thousands of different lights.
A winter solstice festival, celebrating the longest night of the year, has also been suggested.
Berwick Village Chamber of Commerce (BVCC) president Harry Hutchinson said the chamber was seeking a federal grant to pay for the plan.
“We would start small and get bigger,” he said.
“We have to make a statement to draw tourists to the town. We need that wow factor.”
Mr Hutchinson said he hoped the plan would begin once work on High Street’s median strip was finished.
He said fairy lights in the historic trees outside the Berwick Inn and Shanika’s restaurant would provide atmosphere for diners and revellers on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
“They would be environmentally friendly low wattage lights, operating on solar panels,” he said.
Mr Hutchinson’s ultimate goal would be to see thousands of light in Wilson Botanic Park, creating a tourist Mecca similar to the Christmas lights formally at Edrington Park.
“They do it overseas, and those towns attract thousands of visitors each year,” he said.
“Obviously this would cost a lot of money, and we would need to charge an entry fee at the gate.
“But we could have people selling hot dogs and drinks, make the traffic one way to prevent traffic snarls,” he said.
Local MP Jason Wood said he definitely supported the project, making it one of his 2007 election promises.
He said lighting up Berwick Village would cost about $500,000, including the cost of solar energy.
“Lighting up Wilson Botanic Park is a new addition but I definitely support that too,” he said.
Edrington Ward councillor Simon Curtis said he would have to see a full proposal before he could back the plan.
“Harry Hutchinson has a lot of good ideas, and I support a lot of them
“But at this stage I haven’t seen a plan for the lights – I really need more of a look.
Certainly the notion is good, but it would depend on how tasteful it was done. I think it’s important to keep Berwick tasteful,” he said.
City of Casey strategic development manager Liam Hodgetts said the council was aware the Berwick chamber was considering holding a lighting festival starting at the winter solstice.
He said the initiative was only proposed at this stage, and that officers were looking forward to working with the chamber to develop the initiative further.