| Press Release 7 December 2004
BERKELEY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION INC
PO Box 103, Berkeley 2506
Ph: 42711661 Fax: 42721007
Email: admin@berkeleync.ngo.org.au
ABN: 22 534 652 617
UNIQUE PLACE OF HEALING AND WELL BEING
TO BE LAUNCHED
After more than two years in the making, the Hooka Park Place of Healing
and Wellbeing at Berkeley will be officially opened at 9.00am on Friday
10th December by the Hon. Craig Knowles MP, Minister for Infrastructure,
Planning and Natural Resources.
The “Place of Healing and Well-being” evolved from a community
art project called ‘Bright Lives’ in which families of children
living with cancer created art, which expressed their feelings about their
experiences living with cancer. This project revealed a strong desire
to create a special place celebrating life and dedicated to the concept
of healing. Hooka Park on the shores of Lake Illawarra was selected as
the location.
The project which has been funded by, the Department of Infrastructure,
Planning and Natural Resources, Wollongong City Council, Lake Illawarra
Authority, BlueScope Steel and Healthy Cities Illawarra, has involved
the community in the creation of artworks and facilities which reflect
their feelings about healing and well-being.
Under the guidance of two community artists, Celeste Coucke and Ana Pollak,
a unique place has been created including carved and inlayed sandstone
and timber benches, ceramic narratives on stone uprights, a bridge railing
carved with a Lake Illawarra food chain, jetty carvings of Aboriginal
traditional healing plants, a water pavilion for contemplation, a boardwalk
at the edge of the creek and a new concrete pathway.
“The Place of Healing at Hooka Park has been designed all along
to be a special place in the Illawarra that celebrates a sense of healing
with the environment, of our bodies and of our spirits” says Celeste
Coucke.
Over the course of the project up to three hundred participants carved
timber and stone, created ceramic, inlaid mosaic, glued, grouted and planted.
“There was a great diversity of cultural backgrounds and age groups
within the 14 organisations and the multitude of local residents that
participated. Participants came from Berkeley South Public School, Illawarra
Sports High School, Yallah TAFE, Wollongong Youth Crisis Refuge Centre,
Camp Quality, an Illawarra Cancer Support Group, three local women’s
groups, three Aboriginal groups, a local men’s group, Keelong Juvenile
Justice Centre, Steelhaven Skills Centre apprentices and Work for the
Dole participants.
Says Donna, one of the original participants, “A place like this
is for everyone- not just the person who has cancer but also the families
and carers who have to deal with the everyday stresses of dealing with
the disease.”
“Community participation was one of the key goals for this project
and we are delighted that such an incredible place has emerged from the
cooperative efforts of these diverse people and organizations” says
project steering committee Chairperson, Harry Alla.
“We are also extremely grateful for the in kind support the project
received from local businesses and groups including the Lake Illawarra
Authority, Yallah TAFE, Kemblawarra Portuguese Sports and Social Club,
Boom Cranes, One Steel, Ballarat University, Keelong Juvenile Justice
Centre” Mr Alla added.
The launch will be conducted on site at 9am, Friday 10th December
Hooka Point, Cnr Holborn & Sussex Streets, Berkeley.
Further information:
Harry Alla - Hooka Park Project Chairperson ph: 4271 1951
Celeste Coucke/ Ana Pollak - Arts Workers ph: 4885 1617
email: cceramics@bigpond.com
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