THE local RSL sub branch will look at ways to improve its memorial services following a couple of blemishes in the centenary Anzac Day services held on the weekend.
Swan Hill RSL Sub Branch president Barry Townley said organisers would always scrutinise the way the community honours its fallen and current servicemen, with a view to improving it for subsequent Anzac Day and Remembrance Day ceremonies.
One problem at the weekend’s day service was the weakness of the sound coming through the speaker system for the main service.
Mr Townley was confident this could be put right in the future.
“That was the best that the speakers could do at that time,” he explained.
“We’ve got it all in hand now – we know what the problem was and it’s going to be rectified next year.
“The system that we used at the cenotaph for the actual service in the morning and day was privately-owned, and we’ve had quite a bit of feedback and it’s going to be rectified for next year.”
Another issue stemmed from lack of viewing coverage, especially for younger children at the back of the crowd.
“I asked and I told the kids, especially at the dawn service, to come up at the front and sit all around the front, the same with the main service,” Mr Townley said.
“At the dawn service there were quite a few that were around, but at the main service I hardly saw any.
“Some of the parents chose not to let their kids go up there, or the kids don’t want to go up there, I don’t know.”
“But we’re always looking at things to make it better, and to increase the crowd capacity.”
Mr Townley said the issues would be accounted for before the upcoming Remembrance Day services in November, though future roadworks at the intersection surrounding the cenotaph might make its planning difficult initially.
“We can’t really do much until VicRoads finish doing their traffic lights, because they’re going to change all the footpath and so forth there and I really don’t know what they are going to do,” he said.
“They’re supposed to start in the second week in May, but I don’t think they can start and do anything until that corner down there past ((Woolworths)) is finished, because all the traffic comes up Campbell Street now.”
Overall, the day proved a success, Mr Townley felt, with record crowd numbers turning up to both dawn and daytime services.
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