Western Division will soon be no more
There are several groups working on planning for the new District 17 which will come into being on July 1 this year.
The Alignment Committee
This committee has prepared a report on the setup of Divisions and Areas in our West Australian District. I am a member of the committee, so I am supporting its recommendations. But I have a nostalgic pang that the new District 17 will have no Western Division. When I joined Toastmasters in 1995 I was in Western Division because that was the only one. Over the years Western has divided twice – first to set up Perth Division and then Innercity Division.
But now the recommendation is for three Divisions – Central, Northern and Southern. So, farewell Western Division.
Look at the Committee’s recommended setup
You can find the recommendations at
There are some explanatory notes there, and there will be more supplied by the Committee Chair, Ross Wilkinson DTM.
I hope to get a comment from the very first Western Division Governor, Murray Jorgensen DTM, still very active in Toastmasters. And another one from the soon to be the very last Western Division Governor, Robyn Richards DTM.
How do you feel about the disappearance of Western Division?
You can add a reminiscence or discuss the alignment proposal in comments box below.
David Nicholas DTM
WA Webmaster
and former Western Division Governor
David,
Thank you for posting the District 17 Re-alignment Proposal on http://www.toastmasterwa.net Website.
The Re-alignment Committee has deliberated over numerous options that the future District 17 could take. The proposal that has been posted is the Committee’s re-alignment proposal.
On the 13 March as the Re-alignment Committee Chair I emailed the re-alignment proposal to all Division Governors, Area Governors and Club Presidents in WA requesting them to forward the proposal onto their club members for their comments.
Last Thursday I also presented the Committee’s re-alignment proposal for District 17 at the WA Governors Club. It was enthusiastically received and support by the attending members of WA Governors Club.
The major changes in the District 17 Re-Alignment and points are:
Divisions:
Name changes of the existing Divisions:
• Inner City becomes Central
• Perth becomes Northern
• Western becomes Southern
The existing Areas will consequently have a name change to reflect the new Division Names.
This 3 division structure should allow the opportunity to easily transfer clubs from these 3 existing Divisions into our future fourth division, Eastern Division. It was agreed that the fourth Division should be created only when we achieve our target of at least 64 clubs (i.e. Mike Helm’s 4 x 4 x 4 theory). Preferably these 64 clubs need to be strong and viable as we do not want to create a new Division now with under charter strength clubs, then areas, then divisions.
Club Movements within the Areas and Divisions:
The Committee has tried to keep as much of our current structure of Clubs in existing Areas as we head into D17, giving our members a stable transition into the new Division names and D17.
The Committee have addressed the issue of Area W36 having 2 Advanced Clubs which has create some problems with competition numbers etc. The following club movements are proposed in the re-alignment:
• Fremantle Gourmet moves from W36 (S35) to W21 (S32)
• CSBP moves from W21 (S32) to W36 (S35)
• TEEM moves from W21 (S32) to P30 (N23)
The Committee acknowledges that this will leave W21 (S32) with 2 Advanced Clubs, however with the balance of the two other very healthy clubs in the Area (i.e. Vic Quay and Gateway) this should not create a problem for the future S32 Area Governor.
The Committee believes that the re-alignment not only balances out the existing strengths in WA but allows for expansion of new clubs and the easy transition into 4 Divisions in the near future.
Please forward any comments about the re-alignment to me at toastmasterross@hotmail.com as the Re-alignment Chair or any other member of the Re-alignment Committee – the committee seeks your input.
It is a dramatic move to change the names of Western, Perth and Inner City Divisions to Southern, Northern and Central (and the future Eastern) Divisions, but it is the way of a very positive future for all Toastmasters in our own District 17.
I seek your support of the District 17 Re-alignment Proposal at the District Council Meeting on Saturday 21st May at the Swan Song on the Swan Convention.
Ross Wilkinson DTM
District 73 Lieutenant Governor Marketing WA 2010-2011
District 17 Re-alignment Committee Chair
Marketers Club President 2010-2011
Fremantle Gourmet President 2010-2011
Applecross Toastmasters Club Sponsor 2011
Mobile: 0412 383 386
I too am a member of the Alignment Committee and it was with both understanding and sadness that I agreed to the name change for our Divisions here in W.A.
The original purpose of calling us Western Division was simply that we were the most western division in District 73 and the only division in Western Australia. As we become District 17 and will only comprise of W.A. clubs, it does make sense to rename the 3 divisions and have the capability of adding a fourth when required, using the CBD as the starting point for that delineation. Obviously the current Western Division is South of the CBD and should be called Southern Division.
Having said that, it has been my very great honour to represent Western Division as Division Governor this year. With that role comes dignity and pride in all members, clubs and areas within. When you have pride in a project, it cannot come without sadness should that be changed.
I hadn’t thought so far ahead when I took on the role to realise that I may be the very last Western Division Governor. This is an honour which I have not taken lightly from day one. It will truly be poignant to present, for the very last time, the Western Division Awards in June to the wonderful members of this Division.
Should this alignment proposal be accepted by the members of District 17, I know Southern Division will strive to achieve identically to Western Division, with a passion for the division members always the purpose. I will hand over to a very lucky Governor who has the opportunity to craft a new resonance in Western Australia, District 17, Southern Division.
Robyn Richards DTM
Western Division Governor 2010-2011
Indeed nostalgia isn’t what it used to be. I too, was a Western Division Governor (1989/90) as well as a Southern Division (D73) Governor in the early 1980s. Names change, but Toastmasters goes on. Traditionalists can take comfort from the fact that “Western Division” actually spawned a District – a distinction few other Divisions in the world can match. For the progressives within our ranks, names should reflect new realities. For all of us, the new D17 should be the most important thing. Although I do wonder what Murray Jorgensen thinks..
As the sun sets on Western Division, June 30 2011, we can take great pride that when the sun rises on July 1 It will rise on a new Western District, like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon to fly into the future. Change is inevitable in life, it is healthy and signifies growth. Maybe we should appoint a District Historian, so we never forget our roots.