The management committee – open to all Chidlow ratepayers – is voted in at the Annual General Meeting held on the fourth Tuesday of May each year.
Incorporated on 22 August 2001, the Chidlow Progress Association Inc (CPA) is a not-for-profit organisation established to represent the interests and wellbeing of a growing Chidlow community.
The CPA has long-reaching roots going back to 1897 when Chidlow was developing its importance as a town in the growing North Eastern corridor extending from Perth.
The first known project the Progress Association lobbied for was better roads and recreational facilities. The land chosen for a reserve was in Rosedale Road opposite Northcote Street despite it being under water several months of the year. So wet, it was reported that the black and gold colours of the football team were all black by the end of a game. It stayed the sports site for tennis, cricket and football until 1952 when the association chose a site near the Hall.
One of its first Presidents was Alex Haigh, who became the Chidlow Station Master from 1903-4. Another was William Snowden who not only organised and conducted a local choir but arranged for them to sing the town’s first Carols on Christmas Night, 1912.
Today, many presidents and committee members later, the Chidlow Progress Association, Inc (CPA) has a management committee made up of local volunteers who bring a wealth of professional expertise to public events and projects, many of which are only brought to completion due to their generosity of time, enthusiasm and commitment to the Chidlow community.
The CPA celebrated its 125th anniversary on 24 September, 2022 and marked the occasion by planting a tree on the Village Green. Joining in for the occasion were several Shire of Mundaring councillors as well as members of the community, which was followed by refreshments in the Hall. The tree chosen was a Manchurian Pear, which although a decorative tree with delicate white Spring flowers and colourful Autumn splendour, is tough enough to withstand our hot summers, and as it grows, will be a reminder of the longevity and strength-in-unison of the Chidlow community.
One of the CPA’s better known projects, and arguably the most important, was to save the Chidlow Village Hall (erected in 1905) from being razed. The Shire of Mundaring (Shire) were no longer prepared to provide for its upkeep.
A Financial Proposal was submitted to the Shire in 2013, and on its acceptance, the CPA took over the management of the Hall. As this business plan will be ongoing for some time, the CPA strives to ensure commitments made to the Shire are followed and the future of the Hall remains secure for the use of the community. A major commitment was to ensure the Hall was utilised regularly by the community.
Since that time the CPA has worked constantly to improve and maintain the Hall to provide an appropriate venue for the community while at the same time promoting its benefits. Although it’s been a slow process, the Hall is now the venue for regular exercise classes, markets, Film Club and dinner nights, dance evenings, fund-raisers and becoming increasingly popular for private non-commercial functions. It is also the headquarters of the Chidlow Cats Basketball Club and the Chidlow & District RSL Sub-Branch.
Due to the CPA’s success in increasing the Hall’s popularity, it was necessary to prepare a Scope of Works to assess the status of the Hall’s restoration program. While significant progress has been made, focus on obtaining funds through grants is of paramount importance to ensure future continuance of this program.
Recently the CPA committee examined closely its past history of projects and assistance within the community in order to prepare a new Vision and Mission Statement that closely represented its place within the community and how it should identify and focus on future projects. Consequently, a new logo was designed soon after incorporating the lake and the blue leschenaultia wildflower.
Special Community Projects
As well as the caretaking of the Hall and ensuring its future livelihood through activities, the CPA runs or oversees special projects and events inspired by particular interests of committee members. Such projects offer a unique opportunity of enabling the community to come together in a shared interest while helping ensure the project’s future growth and success.
One such event was our inaugural ANZAC Day celebration in 2015: its unexpected but welcomed success was a catalyst for the construction of the ANZAC memorial on the Village Green in 2016. As a consequence Chidlow was able to establish its own RSL Sub-Branch later that same year.
The Chidlow Aesthetics group – which monitors and controls any weeds and/or exotic plants that are not native to the area – carries out any weeding and planting through regular volunteer busy bees. Afterwards there is a usually a get together over a picnic.
Another hands-on project is our Community Garden which will be for the benefit of anyone in the community who has an interest in learning while growing or simply just being in a garden.
Slowly, but surely, this garden is coming together.
Joint Ventures with the Shire
Historically there have been a number of joint ventures between the CPA and the Shire to beautify and provide facilities for the Chidlow community.
A diligent committee worked for five years negotiating with the Shire to have erected the much-used family playground with adult area and BBQ/children’s party venue on the Village Green. Several trees were also planted on the Green by the CPA and are growing strong to this day.
A recent joint project (financed by a Lotterywest grant) was used for the construction of the ANZAC Memorial in 2016 inspired by the success of our inaugural ANZAC Day service in 2015.
Future
The CPA will continue to strive to connect Chidlow’s community through annual events like the ANZAC Day morning tea, Carols on the Green, Busy Bee and other activities (Film Club, Market Day) at the Hall, and projects like the Community Garden and the Chidlow Aesthetics group to ensure newcomers to the area and older residents feel they belong.