By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
THE Hampton Park community has started a petition calling for a new CFA facility as it continues to outgrow its current home.
The petition, which started doing the rounds late last year, is planned to be presented to the State Government and urges a relocation of the current CFA facility on Somerville Road.
Hampton Park Community House manager Tania Sacco is one of the central drivers of the petition, and a passionate supporter of the CFA where her husband, Robert, volunteers.
She echoed the sentiments of the petition, which notes that the existing fire station lacks change rooms, adequate training areas, secure parking for members and limited meeting spaces.
The brigade is also forced to complete training courses off-site, while the unit’s membership growth is stunted by the lack of space.
Mrs Sacco said the Hampton Park CFA would have to be relocated to be afforded the space they needed.
“The facilities are just not big enough,” Mrs Sacco told Star News.
“They need a bigger building for their tankers, and they’re restricted to how many volunteers they have because they can’t house them.
“People deserve to have an emergency service that they can rely on and which meets the needs of the community.
“Everyone has the right feel safe.”
Mrs Sacco and the ideal of ‘community’ are seemingly synonymous. She has been a passionate advocate of Hampton Park since she moved into the suburb with her young family 16 years ago.
Seeking support from the local community house as she raised her two children, both now in their teens, Mrs Sacco became more and more involved with the community house, giving back to the service in a volunteer capacity until eventually taking over the role as manager.
Hampton Park Community House is a fitting name for the facility in the eyes of Mrs Sacco, who in a way sees the people living in the area, particularly those who need help with anything, as her family.
“We have families that rely on us because they can’t afford to feed their families,” she said.
“Everyone is treated like a member of our family, it’s that family environment.
“There’s a lot of laughter and happiness – I don’t think working and having fun should be mutually exclusive.”
So does Mrs Sacco see herself and her family leaving Hampton Park anytime soon?
“If I won TattsLotto I would not move from Hampton Park, the most I would do is knock down my house and build a new one,” she said.
“This community has looked after me and my family.”
For more information, and to sign the petition, contact Tania Sacco at the Hampton Park Community House on 9799 0708.
