ON becoming aware of plans to remove the Pollard Archway the committee and members of the Wodonga Historical Society wish to make public that we all strongly object to this action.
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The archway is one of the few, if not the only, things which has been opened by royalty.
The council produced pennant flags at the time for the community to wave and show its support of the event in 1959.
The Pollard Archway was named for Charles Pollard, who was the son of an early settler at Bonegilla.
Charles Pollard was awarded the MBE for his involvement in community service, he was secretary of the Murray Valley Shows Association, shire president in 1926-27, 1945-46 and 1946-47.
He was foundation president of the Wodonga Show Society, and North-Eastern representative of the Dairymen’s Association of Victoria.
With such a record of service to the community he rightly deserved to have the iconic structure named for him.
An icon it was; the first structure that people would see when crossing the river into Victoria and where they would stop at the fruit fly control.
It became as familiar to the community as did our water tower.
People were pleased that after laying in the council yard following its removal from the causeway when that was widened that the archway was relocated to the entrance of the Wodonga Showgrounds where Charles Pollard had done some of his good work.
Surely with some manoeuvring the Pollard Archway can be incorporated in the new plans for the entrance and road into the showgrounds for future generations to enjoy and hear the story of it being opened by royalty and named to honour a man whose story deserves to be told for years to come.
— UTA WILTSHIRE,
Wodonga Historical Society secretary/treasurer