THE children of the woman who established Daphne Park have backed a plan for Dubbo and District Preschool to expand into the public play area on the corner of Strickland and Bultje streets.
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Gordon Tindall and Rhonda Seymour said their mother Daphne Tindall had a generous heart and can-do attitude.
"She offered a helping hand to everyone and had a great love of children," Mr Tindall said.
"Mum worked hard to create a park on land adjoining the preschool because she was concerned about the safety of local children who were playing on the streets.
"Although she is no longer here to speak for herself, we believe mum would be pleased to see a section of the park rezoned to allow for the construction of additional preschool classrooms."
The rezoning application has been endorsed by council's planning and development committee and will go before a full meeting of council on Monday.
Mr Tindall said his mother was born in Gilgandra and came to Dubbo as a young woman to work in a retail store.
"She caught the eye of my father, Gordon Tindall Senior, who was sent to the Dubbo army camp after enlisting in the Second World War.
"Dad used to sneak out of camp at night and walk some 10 miles (16km) along the Molong railway line to meet Mum. The military police mostly turned a blind eye to what he was doing.
"They married in Gilgandra on October 10, 1942 and enjoyed 68 years together."
Their first child Pamela died at five weeks. Gordon Junior was born in 1944 and Rhonda in 1951.
"When dad returned to Australia from the war he realised the only worthwhile work was to be found in Sydney," Mr Tindall said.
"He took various jobs including sales assistant, metal worker and cabinet maker.
"Residual war illness and long work hours and travel times took their toll and it was evident he needed to seek alternative work.
"Dad had a great love of gardening and had won a number of competitions in Sydney. He became parks curator with Dubbo council in October 1953 and was given the task of getting Victoria Park into showpiece condition for a visit by Queen Elizabeth in February 1954.
"It was an enormous undertaking because the park was little more than a paddock that had been allowed to go to rack and ruin.
"Dad faced inadequate funding and lack of resources and worked 20 hours a day, seven days a week.
"To add to his almost impossible task, the park was saturated during heavy rain in the days leading up to the royal visit.
"Dad was not one to be defeated and he led frantic efforts to get tonnes of ash from the nearby railway spread over a pathway for the Queen and Prince Phillip to walk on. "More than 5000 people travelled by trains from towns near and far for the Queen's visit. It was hailed an outstanding success for Dubbo and its people.
"Dad didn't get to meet the Queen but he was just metres away, still in his sweat-laden work clothes."
The family lived in a cottage in Victoria Park and quickly settled into Dubbo and its relaxed country lifestyle.
"Living in the park was like being on a farm," Mr Tindall said.
"Mum kept a supply of clothes for children who all too frequently fell into the fish pond at the front of our house.
"She would hear the screams, pull them out and clean them up. Mum was often providing something to eat and drink by the time the parents arrived to see what had happened to their children."
"It was mum's nature to be kind and helpful. She didn't stand back when there was something to be done.
"Caring for the park became a family affair and we often assisted with tasks long after council staff had gone home.
"As well as a love of gardening, Dad also had a love of animals. Victoria Park was perfect for fulfilling these two passions and it didn't take long for him to create a mini zoo in the park with possums, native birds, kangaroos, emus, wombats, snakes and lizards.
"Most weekends Dad poked around the zoo showing the animals to the many people who came to enjoy the park. Dad worked hard for Dubbo and as a tribute the council named the walk through Victoria Park in his honour."
As retirement approached Gordon and Daphne built a home in Strickland Street in 1983.
"With her own children grown up and no longer living at home, Mum took a great interest in the neighbourhood children," Mr Tindall said.
"She didn't like the idea of them playing on the street and set her sights on transforming an area of unkempt Crown land that was full of weeds.
"Mum started weeding the area and Dad got her some hoses to help with the watering.
"They planted bags of grass cuttings and spent a lot of time developing the area.
"Dad put in some goal posts so children could play soccer and football. He allocated council staff to do the mowing when the care of the park became too much for Mum.
"The naming of Daphne Park was a small but tangible recognition of the not inconsiderable affection and devotion our parents had for Dubbo and its public gardens.
"It is with considerable pleasure that my sister and I give our support to the proposal to add part of Daphne Park to the grounds of Dubbo and District Preschool.
"It is something our parents would have wanted because they were great supporters of the preschool when it was established in 1962 with the assistance of the Dubbo Lions Club.
"Mum and Dad loved Dubbo and as age caught up with them they moved into the RSL retirement units in East Dubbo.
"The move did not prevent Dad from taking on gardening projects and adapting his much smaller shed into a workshop for various projects.
"Mum suffered a severe stroke in 2005 and their long association with Dubbo came to an abrupt end.
"They relocated to Castle Hill in Sydney for Mum's medical and care requirements.
"Dad's attention and dedication to Mum took precedence over everything else.
"He would walk to the nursing home to visit her multiple times every day, irrespective of the weather.
"Dad would massage her hands and feet and shower her with loving kisses.
"Mum died six years ago. Dad died in April last year. They loved Dubbo and being part of the community."