May 2019 – Update Two Yeronga parks will receive new names in coming weeks after the community petitioned Council late last year. New signage and history panels will be installed at newly-named Ron Goeldner Park at Esplanade, Yeronga and Rigby Place at Heritage Close, Yeronga. For 60 years Ron Goeldner championed community life in Yeronga. In 1962 Ron, a master builder, built a home with wife Pat on Esplanade Yeronga. He spent his life raising his family, building homes of local residents and contributing to community life in the district. Ron was an active volunteer and office holder in a wide range of community organisations including Neighbourhood Watch, Yeronga District Residents Association, Yeronga Hyde Road Kindergarten, St. Sebastian’s Catholic Primary School P&F, Yeronga Dutton Park RSL and Yeronga Services Club and campaigned with the community to save the historic Rhyndarra Military Hospital. Together with wife Pat, Ron was also instrumental in a number of Brisbane and State wide organisations including the City of Brisbane Eisteddfod, the Australian Youth Ballet and the Queensland Allergy Association. Ron was a passionate advocate for the maintenance of this Park, with he and other residents each working to keep it cleared and open such that all could come to share and enjoy this special place beside the river. The Rigby Family lived in Yeronga and, during World War One and World War Two, and in peace, served their country and their community. Family members who served included Julia (Lyl) Lyllis Rigby, Nurse; William (Jack) John Rigby, Gallipoli; George Henry Rigby, Gallipoli; Gordon Alexander Rigby, Australian Army; and Hubert (Hub) Stanley Rigby, Australian Army. Mr William Alfred Rigby, father of Lyl, Jack, George, Gordon and Hubert, was one of three original owners of the land upon which the Yeronga Dutton Park RSL stands. Julia Rigby (nee Mitchell) was a major proponent of the first avenue of trees created in 1917 in Yeronga Memorial Park. Look out for the new signs, which should be installed in coming weeks.
Original Petition The Yeronga RSL is seeking to name a small riverside park at the end of Heritage Close, near the old Rhyndarra Military Hospital as Rigby Place in honour of a distinguished pioneering family who settled in Shottery St in the 1880s and whose sons served in both WW1 and WW2. The Rigby Family helped found the Yeronga RSL where it stands today.
Our community is also seeking to rename Esplanade Park (a default name for the street) after Ron Goeldner, a master builder, who together with Pat, raised their family on the Esplanade and whose lifetime of volunteer service to the local community through NHW and the YDRA, local schools, Kindys, the RSL and more has enriched our community immeasurably.
You can sign a hard copy of the petition over coming weeks or click here to sign it online.