The Group Support Committee Overview The Group Support Committee (GSC) handles much of the administration of the Group and is typically made of up of parents, family and friends of youth in the Scout Group, and other people with a keen interest in Scouting. The LGSS GSC meets bimonthly. Committee Roles The LGSS GSC has designated the following roles: Chair Treasurer Secretary Membership Officer Hall Hire Manager Hall Maintenance Manager Quartermaster Webmaster Action Item Register The GSC maintains the Action Item Register below to track jobs that the Committee has. Completed jobs are not shown. Scouts Australia Policy and Rules extracts Here are the extracts from the Scouts Australia Policy and Rules on the GSC: RULE 4: The Scout Group R4.6 GROUP SUPPORT COMMITTEE 5. The functions of the Group Support Committee are to: Ensure that the Group has adequate funding to enable it to provide high quality programs to the members at an acceptable cost. Ensure that proper records are kept and that all funds are accounted for in accordance with Branch procedures and statutory requirements. Arrange and provide suitable accommodation to enable the Group to carry out its training program. Provide and maintain equipment required by the Unit(s) of the Group in liaison with the Group Council. Assist the Group Leader to recruit, retain and support leaders for all Unit(s) of the Group. Recommend the appointment of a Group Leader, in accordance with Branch procedures, to be the senior leader of the Group, and carry out the functions prescribed from time to time. Ensure that all persons in direct contact with the youth members of the Group are of exemplary character and are fit and proper persons to carry out their role of leading young people. Assist the Group Leader with the implementation of the Group plan and receive reports on progress. Assist members of the Group to secure and maintain employment. Establish and maintain good relationships with other community organisations and community leaders generally. Convene an Annual Reports Presentation at which the verified financial statements of the Group and the annual reports of the Group Leader, Unit Leaders (in need) and the Group Support Committee are presented. Training for Group Support Committee members There are three important modules that are mandatory training for GSC members : Adult Code of Conduct Child Safe Scouting WHS for Scouting These modules can be found on the Group Support Committee page of the Scouts Australia Adult Training and Development website . In addition to the mandatory modules, the following training modules (found on the same website) are also useful learning for various GSC members: Effective Group Support Committees How to be a Scout Group Chairman How to be a Scout Group Secretary How to be a Scout Group Treasurer Effective Group Management Communication Relationship Skills and Managing Conflict

LGSS Group Support Committee - Roles Chair Oversee the operation of the GSC Liaise with Group Leader, fellow GSC members and Branch staff Liaise with the Council of Elders and the Group Leader for appropriate ceremonial activities. Ensure that the committee and group operate within Scouts ACT policy and rules Attend ACT branch and region meetings (once or twice a year) Chair GSC meetings Liaise with the Group Leader and Secretary to prepare meeting agenda Prepare annual report Mentor less experienced GSC members Secretary See that the president is kept fully informed on all correspondence pertaining to the Group. See that notices of regular meetings of the GSC are sent out in sufficient time, giving date, time and place of meeting. Prepare, in consultation with the Group Leader and President, an agenda for each meeting. Keep minutes of all meetings of the GSC. Despatch a copy of the minutes, with appropriate action points highlighted for attention, to each GSC member. See that Branch and Region notices and other important notices are brought to the attention of the GSC. Assist the Group Leader and President with the preparation of the APM and Annual Report. Ensure that LGSS insurance cover is appropriate. Ensure that Workplace Health and Safety requirements are met (Hall, equipment, fire safety, security, access for disabled, first aid equipment but not scouting activity or water activity-related issues) Mentor less experienced GSC members Treasurer Operate and maintain accounts of GSC (including Sub- Committees) including receipt of money, issuing receipts, banking, presenting accounts for payment to GSC meetings Ensure accounts include the name “Scouts Australia (ACT Branch) Lake Ginninderra Sea Scouts” - and require two signatories to operate accounts. Ensure all Group accounts are ready for audit annually Oversee the operation of Section accounts insofar as the way in which the books and accounts are being maintained, arrange assistance if desired/required Ensure that an annual, phased budget is produced and presented to the annual general meeting. The budget includes input from GSC and Group Council. Arrange collection of Group levies (fees), reporting position monthly to the President and Group Leader at the monthly GSC meetings Allocate fundraising credits to families as required Mentor less experienced GSC members Membership Secretary Register and update of new youth members’ details on the Scouts ACT online database (Extranet) Advise the Treasurer, Group Leader and relevant Section Leader when the registration has been completed Monitor and, where necessary, initiate address and other personnel changes on Extranet. Advise the Treasurer, Group Leader and relevant Section Leader when this has been completed Hall Manager Manage the use of the hall by external users (including hirers) Manage the use of parking spaces associated with the hall Update and maintain the hall use calendar including its use by scout sections Liaise with the hall cleaners to ensure that the hall is well maintained (all areas except for the workshop, boatshed and ‘below-deck’ spaces) Coordinate the maintenance of kitchen areas as needed with hall users (including hirers and scout sections) Maintain the hall key register and alarm system codes Identify maintenance requirements (Hall and hall equipment – e.g. tables, chairs) Arrange quotes and works. All non-urgent expenditure requires prior approval by the GSC Work with the GSC, Group Council, Boat master and Quartermaster to plan and manage Group working bees Quartermaster Maintain a register of all camping gear Monitor the serviceability of camping equipment Manage the replacement and repair of camping equipment in conjunction with the Group Council and the GSC. All non-urgent expenditure requires prior approval by the GSC Manage the equipment maintenance account Work with the GSC, Group Council, Boat master and Hall Manager to plan and manage Group working bees Boatmaster In conjunction with the Group Council and the GSC develop, maintain and coordinate the implementation of the LGSS water capabilities plan Chair the boat sub-committee Report monthly (at the GSC meetings) Maintain a register of all maritime equipment (boats, canoes, safety boat, communication equipment, boat and canoe trailers, boatshed and workshop) Monitor the serviceability of all equipment Manage the replacement and repair of equipment in conjunction with the Group Council and the GSC. All non-urgent expenditure requires prior approval by the GSC Manage the boat maintenance account Work with the GSC, Group Council, Quartermaster and Hall Manager to plan and manage Group working bees Boatmaster In conjunction with the Group Council and the Group Committee develop, maintain and coordinate the implementation of the LGSS water capabilities plan. Chair the boat sub-committee. Report monthly (at the Committee meetings). Maintain a register of all maritime equipment (boats, canoes, safety boat, communication equipment, boat and canoe trailers, boatshed and workshop) Monitor the serviceability of all equipment Manage the replacement and repair of equipment in conjunction with the Group Council and the Group Committee. All non-urgent expenditure requires prior approval by the Group Committee. Manage the boat maintenance account. Work with the Group Support Committee, Group Council, Quartermaster and Hall Manager to plan and manage Group working bees. Publicity Officer Manage the Group’s electronic and paper-based communication tools Maintain content for the Group’s website and Facebook pages (public and private) Preparing a term newsletter four times per year Coordinate with the leaders to maintain and manage the google groups email distribution list and facebook membership list Prepare the quarterly Buzz newsletter. Prepare media releases as required by liaising with ACT Branch Monitor and manage the LGSS Facebook (Private) site Monitor and manage the LGSS Facebook (public) site Coordinate the management, updates and development of the LGSS Web-site Keep Group noticeboard information up to date (Section leaders maintain their notices Webmaster Work with the Publicity Officer (and ACT Branch) to develop and maintain the LGSS web-sites Grants Officer Work with the Group Council and the GSC to identify and formulate applications for grants from government departments and other non-government organisations Fundraising Officer Maintain family fundraising credits ledger and provide this to the Treasurer every month (during the GSC meetings). Researching fundraising ideas Arranging dates for BBQs at hardware stores Liaise with fundraising coordinators for the Hall Markets and Harness Racing Liaise with Group Council and the GSC to schedule fundraising activities General GSC Members General GSC members don’t have a designated role, but act as additional helpers where needed. President Secretary Treasurer Webmaster Hall Manager Grants Officer Boatmaster Publicity Officer Quartermaster Fundraising Officer GSC Chair Secretary Quartermaster Treasurer Boatmaster Hall Manager Publicity Officer Webmaster Grants Officer Fundraising Officer General Committee Member General Committee

Members area entry The idea that we have a members only page has not been decided, it's just here to show what we could do with it. To log into the Members Area: click on the "Log In" text in the box below (if you email address is shown you have already logged in). To request access to the Members Area: click on the "Log In" text in the box below, and on the next page click the "Sign Up " link in the text "New to this site? Sign Up". Members Area access requests are approved by the Webmaster (Darzee), or others if we decide to keep this stuff. Log In Once you are logged in you can use the drop-down arrow are the right end of the box above and choose "" from the drop-down menu. There's nothing in the Members Area just yet! The Members Only Area of the website could contain some, all, or none of the following: The Lotto number for next week :P Group Support Committee (GSC): membership, roles and contacts minutes of GSC meetings agenda item suggestions Group Meeting: this is the Adult Leaders meeting (I can't remember what it's called) minutes of these meetings agenda item suggestions

Joining Scouts - 7 Small Steps ... ... . Interested in joining? Here is a step-by-step guide to get you started. Click onteh green buttons to get going. Please note, spaces for new members are very limited - please check availability before completing the on-line form. 16 February 2016 01 Contact Group Leader 02 Parent / Carer Roles in Scouts Welcome Pack - 2016 03 Sign Up Youth Member You may wish to read the 'help' page before starting the on-line registration. 04 LGSS Parent Registration 05 On-Line Uniform Shop Parents' Role in Scouts

VIDEO AdventureJam 2013 Scouting Videos Maryborough was a long way from home for Lake Ginninderra Sea Scouts but it looks like they had a great time! January 2016 it will be the the Jamboree in NSW at Cateract. Watch for images and news below! Other major events: - New Zealand Venture (LGSS has a number of Venturers participating in January) - Lombok 2016: A team of Venturers will be there in October.

The Latest News Celebrating 50 Years: The Unforgettable Success of the LGSS Anniversary Regatta The LGSS 50th anniversary regatta was more than just an event; it was a spectacular celebration of half a century of Scouting. - MLA Praises LGSS and Scouts / LGSS Crew in outstanding Siris Cup performance Follow the following link and see the speech on our website video view (the viewer is half way down the page and shows several videos -... Klaus Felsche

VENTURERS - 15 to 18 years old Use the Contact form to get in touch with the Venturer Leaders. It's your life... Get on with it! Our awesome Venturers m eet Thursday nights: 6:15-8:30pm in Terms 1 & 4 (summer) 6:45-9:00pm in Terms 2 & 3 (winter) Bored? Feel like doing something with your life? Don't know where to start? Try Venturer Scouts. It's a do-it-yourself mix of fun, adventure and personal challenge that will bring you together with other young people who feel the same way. You may find yourself exploring wilderness Australia, camping above the snowline or diving on coral reefs. You could be abseiling into a limestone cave or climbing a sheer rock face. Perhaps you'll learn white water kayaking or ride your mountain bike on an expedition across real mountains. Whatever your challenge, there will be trained and highly experienced leaders to guide you through the experience, to teach you the necessary skills and safety techniques. Venturers get the opportunity to travel overseas and to organised activities, to live with a different community and to provide service to others. Manage your own program Venturers don't just develop physical skills. You will manage your own Venturer Unit, where the adult leaders are there to provide advice, not rule your life. The Unit Council makes the decisions, plans and runs the activities, drawing on expert help whenever it is required. You can even develop your own website or Facebook to promote your activities. You'll have the opportunity to become involved in staging professional shows, learning how to act, sing or play an instrument. Perhaps you'll make videos, become a sound engineer, develop your own photographs or contribute your writing for publication. You will learn responsibility for the environment and work on service projects to assist others in the community. Look Wide There are leadership and management courses that will help you in your career and personal life, when you have to make all the decisions. You'll learn how to meet new challenges, deal with new situations, and develop your own independence. Your achievements will be recognised, with the ultimate goal the Queen's Scout Award, which employers regard very favourably. Venturers really is the pathway to success. Get a social life The Social side of Venturers is up to you. There will be lots of outdoor activities, nights out and a shared interest so you will meet new people and have plenty of time to get to know them and make lifelong friends. Venturers are serious about having fun!! Venturer Scouts are for young people from 15 - 18 and you don't have to have experience in Scouts or Guides first. It's your call - come along and check us out.

MEMBERS This Page is always Under Construction - New Information is added as it becomes available! Sign up a Scout! Parents: Scouts ACT takes protecting children very seriously. Recent ACT legislation makes provision for clearance processes required for all those who work with our youth members. To be able to do more than drop/collect your own youth members, you will need to have in place the Working With Vulnerable People card. At LGSS we love parents being involved in whatever capacity they can manage. Some parents go to camps, some people like to help out on the committee and some like to help with sailing and canoe nights and events. Whatever your skill set is we love to have you but you must be a registered adult helper with at Working With Vulnerable People card. If you haven't done this i ask that you fill in the following link asap to register. Scouts ACT will also ask you to do 2 online learning units about child safety and work health and safety. Any parent not a registered adult helper will not be permitted to attend any section night or camp. This covers us all. https://eu1.docusign.net/Member/PowerFormSigning.aspx?PowerFormId=39d737fa-3db6-4ac8-a42c-e9c43057bd6f If you need a WWVP card this is the link to apply: https://www.scoutsact.com.au/files//Forms/img-205100745.pdf Emma Georgiou, Group Leader 27 October 218 Join Scouts as an Adult Volunteer - Information Adult Helpers Join as an Adult Volunteer - Information Parking at our scout hall Group Management Workshop Materials Management Guideline Extracts 2018.pdf Lake Gin V3 Welcome Pack.pdf Join Scouts - Youth Member.doc Activity Notification Consent Form.doc Scenarios.and Suggested Talking Points.p Scout Helper Application.pdf Adult Recognition Form.pdf Management Workshop - Financual Setup - Youth Members Transfer Certificate.pdf Venturer Activity Permission Form Member Parking Other Useful Guides, Forms and Planning Documents LGSS Annual Report.pdf LGSS Group Plan 2015-18 - Draft (GSC).pdf Click to see 2016 AGM Papers Boat plan 2016.pdf Fleet Plan.pdf The Royal Charter SCOUTS 1912.pdf ACT_Branch_Constitution_2013.pdf POLICY_AND_RULES 2017.pdf The Duties of Officers and Employees in GL Report AGM 29.3.16.pdf Lake Ginninderra Sea Scouts DRAFT Asset Management Plan.pdf Scouts Central Handbook.pdf More information will appear here soon

People use our hall to host day functions, work meetings, training, reunions, children's parties, anniversaries, and birthday/Christmas parties. On this page you will find: hall Facilities , the Hire Rates , a couple of Policies , and the Hall Hire Booking Request form . Check our Hall Hire Availability page to see if the date you want is free. Hiring our hall When you hire our hall you're getting a great venue and all the fees go directly to supporting our Scout group. The hall is a large open plan room with lots of windows and great views across Lake Ginninderra. It's ideal for day functions, work meetings and training. On a sunny day smaller groups can have the tables and chairs on the back veranda for a very pleasant outdoor experience. People use our hall to host day functions, work meetings, training, reunions, children's parties, anniversaries, and birthday/Christmas parties. Whether you are a family, community group, or corporate organisation, you'll love having your function at our hall. Facilities There is a kitchen at the East end of the hall with a refrigerator, stove top, two modern ovens, and a microwave oven. Ducted heating throughout ensures a comfortable environment. The hall hire includes roughly 25 trestle tables and about 100 fairly comfortable plastic chairs. The toilets are at the West end of the hall and include 3 men's facilities, 2 women's toilets, and an accessible toilet. The hall is fully accessible with: dedicated disability parking at the front an access ramp large wheelchair-accessible toilet/shower The dimensions of the main hall space are: 13.3 meters long (kitchen to cupboards) 10.3 maters wide (door to door) 8.5 meters wide (between the boxes on the sides of the hall). The hall is located at Evelyn Parker Place, Belconnen and is within easy walking distance to foreshore cafes and restaurants, the Belconnen Arts Centre, and the Belconnen Mall for those extra supplies. Scout specific equipment (including boats) is not included in the hire. Hall hire rates The hall hire rates below are correct as at the time of publishing. The hall hire rate will be included when we get back to after receiving your request via the Hall Hire Booking form below. Other Scout Groups If you would like to book the hall for a Scout Group, use the Hall Hire Booking form below, and choose "Scout Group event" as your Occasion and include your Scout Group details in the Occasion Description box. Hire rates $50 per hour $200 bond (fully refundable if there is no damage to the hall) Seasonal heating/lighting surcharge from 1 April to 30 September of $10.00 per hour Interested in long-term hire? Please choose "other" as your occasion on the Hall Hire form below . Hall availability Please check the Hall Hire Availability calendar to see if the hall is available on the day and time you need. Good neighbour policy Hirers should note that our Hall is in a Twon Centre and we have neighbours who live close by. All hirers must comply with the ACT Government acceptable noise levels for "City centre and town centres (Belconnen, Gungahlin, Tuggeranong and Woden)". Hire not usually approved We do not usually let the hall out for 18th and 21st birthdays. Hire involving sale of alcohol will only be approved under special circumstances. Make sure you choose "Other" as your event type in the form below, and cover your plan in the "" field. Hall hire agreement form Hall Hire Booking Request form Use this form to send a request to book the LGSS Hall. When you click the Submit button, you will receive an email copy of your request. We usually respond to requests within 3 days. Before submitting your request, please check the hall availability here . Hire date* Booking start time* Time : Hours Minutes AM The Hall must be free 15 minutes BEFORE your booking time. Booking end time* Time : Hours Minutes AM The time you must exit the hall by. The Hall must be free for 15 minutes AFTER your booking end time. First name* Last name* Email* Phone* What's your occasion?* Occasion description* Submit

We are researching the history of Lake Ginninderra Sea Scouts for our 50th anniversary on 25 October 2025. We will put information here as we find it. It's our 50th Anniversary! The Lake Ginninderra Sea Scout Group was formed in 1975, so this year our Group turned 50 on the 25 October 2025. We had fine weather and a great day for our Birthday celebrations. You can check out some of the photos from the day on our Public Facebook page . We plan to put more photos on this page as they are shared among our Group. As part of our 50th we are also researching the history of Lake Ginninderra Sea Scouts. The plan is to put the information we find on this page as we find it, so that everyone can see what we have so far. Head over to our History of Scouts in Canberra page to see a brief history Scouts in Canberra and some of the history of Scouts generally. Photos from our past The photos below are from the photo albums in our office. Hover your mouse over an image to see some of the information we have on it. Feel free to give pictures you like a heart. If you have any information on any of the pictures, or your own historic pictures please post a comment on our Public Facebook page or send an email to the webmaster . Note: The webmaster is still working on this display . I'll stick a number on each photo for easy reference in a tick. Lake Ginninderra Sea Scouts history research so far... Canberra Times article dated 14 Oct 1976 on Trove mentions 4 Cubs joining 1st LGSS Group "formed four weeks ago". Which would set the formation date around ?? Sep 1976 if that is what it meant. Canberra Times article dated 8 Mar 1977 on Trove mentions the 1st LGSS Cub pack presenting the queen with a bouquet and a group neckerchief (scarf). So LGSS was originally called "1st Lake Ginninderra Sea Scouts" Shane Hosie ("Jacala") was a Cub and then a Scout in the group that merged with Lake Ginninderra Sea Scouts in the 1990s. Some of his recollections are: He was in the Kuringa Scouts G roup before that Group merged with 1st LGSS His former scout leader Mark Stockall ("Stocky") was a member with LGSS back in the day before the merge. LGSS had a red and green scarf. Kuringa had a dark blue and light blue scarf. So when they merged the red and green became the trim and the blue became the main part of the scarf. And the rovers kept the original scarf and added the blue trim The Orion Scout Unit used to meet at Spence School on a Wednesday night and the Baringa Cub Unit met on a Friday at St. Monica's Primary School in Evatt. There are several plaques on the walls in our hall . They have these words on them: Lake Ginninderra Sea Scouts, Established 1975, Acknowledging 40 years of scouting at Lake Ginninderra Belconnen, 25 October 2015, Be Prepared. Presented to Ian Neale, Colin Aveyard, Tony Fitzpatrick and Neville McMartin in recognition of their work building this hall. "This Hall was officially opened by the Chief Commissioner Pat Boling on 8th June 1998". Was this the original hall? To Garry & Pauline Lymbery. In appreciation of all your dedicated time and assistance in the managing fund raising and boat assistance of L.G.S.S. From the Group of Lake Ginninderra Sea Scouts, 2005. Dedicated Service Award, Timothy Kirsopp, Ikki, In recognition of your dedicated s ervice as a leader. 26 July 1999 - 3 July 2015 Long Service Award, Phil Murphy, Mowgli, In recognition of the exceptional Service and Commitment you have given to Scouting and LGSS over the past 15 years. Thank you. June 2014 Dolphin Cove. Dolphin was the scouting name for Kay Briscoe who served the Lake Ginninderra Sea Scout Group as Group Leader from 2012 to 2015. Dolphin was a long term member of LGSS serving as a youth member before returning as the Group Leader. This place is named in honour of the many years Dolphin dedicated to scouting. Kay Briscoe (Dolphin) 12 December 1957 - 22 December 2016. Andrew Newbery noted in the LGSS private Facebook page on 8 Nov 2022 that he accidentally met Ian Neale (one of the people who helped build the current hall) at the hall while Ian was in Canberra on holidays. Ian and his wife shared some wonderful memories with Andrew who showed them around inside. Of interest at the time were these comments from Ian: the hall was built in 1998 the colour of the hall is “ship grey” and the hall design replicates the focsle of a war ship when viewed from the lake.

Belconnen Town Centre Master Plan 2015 The ACT Government is preparing a master plan for the Belconnen town centre. The DRAFT 2015 Master Plan is now available (see link below or go to the ACT Web-site): Have Your Say The Environment and Planning Directorate (EPD) welcomes comments on this draft master plan. You can make comments on the Belconnen Town Centre draft master plan: Visit: www.act.gov.au/Belconnen Email: Belconnen@act.gov.au Post: Belconnen Town Centre Draft Master Plan PO Box 158, Canberra ACT 2601 Comments closed 20 November 2015 All comments will be taken into consideration when revising the master plan. The master plan is anticipated for consideration by the ACT Government in late 2015 . If adopted, implementation of the master plan can commence. The project was announced by the Minister for Planning, Mick Gentleman MLA, on Monday 3rd November 2014. The ACT Government’s 2012 Planning Strategy recommended a review of the 2001 Belconnen master plan to help create a more compact and efficient city. The first stage of community engagement will seek feedback on a number of issues faced by the town centre, including building heights, the quality of the public domain, pedestrian and cycle connections, car parking and the use of the former Joynton Smith bus way. The project will also focus on the links between the town centre, the University of Canberra and other major institutions in an effort to help facilitate possible employment growth and provide increased opportunities for local businesses. When complete, the consultation outcomes, along with supporting studies will inform the development of a draft master plan for the Belconnen town centre. The outcomes are anticipated to be released in the first half of 2015. Draft_Belconnen_master_plan-WEB-25Sept.pdf Belconnen Master Plan Lake Ginninderra Sea Scout Submission Background Lake Ginninderra is a highly valued resource, regularly used not only by local residents but by several hundreds of youth and adult members of Scouting in the north ACT Region. In fact, it is the primary focus of all Scouting water activities north of Lake Burley Griffin. Its consistent use is made possible by the facilities constructed by the Lake Ginninderra Sea Scout Group (LGSS) at their Evelyn Parker Place address (off Beissel Street, Belconnen). Safe, unhindered access to these facilities is essential in order for the safe, continued use by our members and the local community. The LGSS Group aims to achieve more than just casual use of the lake. As part of the world wide Scouting Organisation, it has a mission for the development of young people. The Mission for Scouting, at the local, national and international level, is to contribute to the education of young people, through a value system based on the Scout Promise and Law, to help build a better world where people are self-fulfilled as individuals and play a constructive role in society. This is achieved by: · Involving them throughout their formative years in a non-formal educational process; · Using a specific method that makes each individual the principle agent in his or her development as a self-reliant, supportive, responsible and committed person; and · Assisting them to establish a value system based upon spiritual, social and personal principles as expressed in the Promise and Law. Built on guidance from the ACT Branch and with input from Scout Leaders, Support Committee Members, Parents and Carers, the Group is keen to provide input into any future plans and planning activities for Lake Ginninderra. The current LGSS team is very fortunate that many past members have had foresight and energy to provide us with a sound base: we have outstanding facilities, including our new boat shed; good equipment; exceptional scout leaders and a great group of youth members including our seniors Venturers and associated Rovers. Collectively, we provide the best possible environment for our youth members. Furthermore, north of Lake Burley Griffin, we are the only ‘sea scouts’ and thus the only venue for providing extensive water-based scouting activities to over 1,200 scouts in the northern ACT. Further explanation is probably not necessary, but it is worth reiterating that the scouting community, like most community groups, relies on volunteer support. The rewards are not financial; they are life experiences for us as individuals and the group members as a community. The fundraising levy is not a way for the group to raise money. It is an incentive for people to give their time and effort to avoid payment, so that the Group might gain their help to provide the necessary support structures for a worthwhile program for our children. Our program allows them to grow and develop as active members of society who understand and respect the needs of a supportive family, be that the family at home, at school, in the scout group, or in the town, country or world community. LGSS recognises the value of such contributions by providing discounts of some fee elements to those offering their time and effort in a variety of roles. LGSS also offers discounts as financial assistance to ensure all members of the community share a similar opportunity to be involved in scouting. LGSS is a voluntary, not-for-profit, community group running active programmes for young people in Canberra under the auspices of Scouts Australia. LGSS receives no government funding, instead relying entirely on funds provided by its members, fundraising and some donations and grants for its operations. All equipment, facilities and consumables are funded from the LGSS budget. Submission comments As described above, LGSS provides structured, development and leadership programmes for local youth. As a Sea Scout group, our activities centre on water-focussed events, although a full programme of outdoor adventures are incorporated throughout the year. As such, our concerns for the Master Plan relate to potential impacts on the ability to provide these activities in the future. The key interests for us in the development of the 2015 Belconnen Master Plan are: Continued direct access to the lake is critical for water-focussed activities of our Group. Youth members aged 7-18 years regularly access water-focussed activities via the ‘beach’ onsite beside the hall. If this access was to be lost or degraded, it would impact on the effectiveness of the water-focussed activities we provide to local youth, particularly during the sailing season between spring and autumn. This is also relevant to broader Sea Scout operations across the ACT. ‘Tri-Lakes’ is a regular, thrice-yearly competition between the Sea Scout groups at Lake Burley Griffin, Lake Tuggeranong and Lake Ginninderra. Retaining access to the ‘beach’ onsite beside the hall is essential to enable safe and easy access for these activities, and the associated community involvement in them. Clean and safe foreshore environments are an ongoing issue, given our frequent activities on or near the water’s edge. We conduct annual Clean-up Australia events to improve the condition of the western foreshore by reducing the rubbish build up. Needles and syringes, shopping trolleys, glass bottles and aluminium cans are the most common rubbish collected. Any new developments need to target the cleanliness and safety of the foreshore, and the ability to effectively maintain that level of cleanliness. The stormwater system is the principle avenue for much of this refuse entering the lake. We see management of the stormwater system and a clean and safe foreshore environment as critical to providing a safe and clean location for all lake users. Car parking will be a particular issue. During peak times immediately before and after scouting section meetings, as parents arrive to drop off or pick up their children, there is an intense period of car parking pressure and an increased associated risk of injury to youth members and adults. Developments adjoining Beissel St will add to this pressure and risk. To minimise this, parking areas will need to be well designed to enable clean and smooth traffic flow, and dedicated drop off zones. Our Group is constrained by the current size of the leased property and, noting the strong pressure for growth and interest from youth members in the community, we would want to have the ability to extend our operations (boat/canoe storage, meeting venue, etc.) over the next several years. LGSS conducts weekly activities for around 100 youth members and is a base for the Lake Ginninderra Rover Scouts (14 older youth members). Sixteen scout leaders, 33 adult helpers and a support committee conduct over 400 hours of sessions at the scout hall every year. The hall provides the base for sailing and canoeing activities conducted on Lake Ginninderra over the Spring, Summer and Autumn months, including evenings and weekends. Additionally, over 30 camping activities and ACT competitive sea-scout sailing events (on Lake Burley Griffin, Lake Tuggeranong and on Sydney Harbour) utilise the hall and its storage facilities as a base of operations. LGSS is the home of active youth programmes run by the local community . The programmes are local, regional, national and international, with local youth members participating in Cuborees, inter-state activities, Jamborees in Australia and New Zealand, community service programmes in Indonesia and competitive water activities in the ACT and NSW. LGSS is funded entirely through member fees and fundraising activities . These funds provide for the hall maintenance, the cost of utilities, the cost of equipment (including boats and camp equipment, and associated trailers), insurance, association costs and the costs associated with scouting activities. The scout hall is also extensively used by community groups and social organisations throughout the week. Typically, such groups utilise the scout hall for some 20 hours per week when not needed for scouting, providing a base for social and cultural activities. Participation in scouting in the Belconnen area is growing with most scout groups regularly reporting full capacity, particularly in the cub and scout sections (7 ½ - 15 years of age). There are three Sea Scout groups in the ACT. LGSS offers a challenging mix of land-based and water-based activities centred on Lake Ginninderra, the only such group in North Canberra and surrounding NSW districts. It is expected that there will be continuing pressure for growth. Accordingly, LGSS recently constructed a new boat shed to better support water activities on Lake Ginninderra in response to the growing popularity of scouting. Thank you for providing us the opportunity to be part of the discussion about the future of the Belconnen Master Plan and we hope a strong community focus drives its implementation. Regards Klaus Felsche and Justin Billing President/Vice President Lake Ginninderra Sea Scout Group Wednesday, 21 January 2015

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