Upul Chandana is proud to live in Roxburgh Park.
What’s your connection to Hume, and how long have you lived in the area?
I have lived in Roxburgh Park since January 2006 after a friend encouraged me to buy in the area.
I now run a Roxburgh Park community Facebook page, where I share local events with the community.
What do you like about Roxburgh Park?
I like the multicultural society that we get to live in, and that we have a lot of Sri Lankan families in the neighbourhood. It feels like home when we gather for a party or function.
What, if anything, would you change?
I would like to see more facilities such as activities for elders, and decent community halls for everyone to use. My biggest worry is that we don’t have enough plants. If I get a chance, I would plant more and make more sustainable parks for kids to play in.
What community groups are you involved in?
I have been secretary of the Samadhu Buddhist Meditation Association of Campbellfield since 2011 and I am also secretary of the North Victorian Sri Lankan Welfare and Cultural Association since 2013. I am also a member of the Craigieburn War Memorial and Remembrance Committee and the Hume Sri Lankan Senior Citizen Association.
I have also recently become a member of Craigieburn SES. I have just completed my training and hope to be putting on my uniform from next week.
Where is your favourite local place to spend time?
In summer I love to go to the duck pond near Bridgewater Road. My kids loves to go to the Craigieburn library.
If someone had never been to Roxburgh Park before, what would you say to entice them to the area?
Before I moved to Roxburgh Park, I had concerns about the area. But when our kids started school and we got to know people from lots of different backgrounds, we found the area to be very nice and welcoming. In recent years, more infrastructure has been built. The shopping centre has got bigger and we have a beautiful train station with a decent carpark.
