Community & Business
27 November, 2022
Speewah bridge renamed in honour of Bob Madden
The Groves Creek Bridge on the entry to Speewah has been renamed after one of the town’s most respected and well-known residents, Bob Madden.
Mr Madden was highly involved in just about every aspect of the Speewah community from the local fire brigade to the Kuranda Paper to his most notable position, chairman of the Speewah District Residents Association (SDRA).
Residents of Speewah wrote to Mareeba Shire Council asking it to rename the bridge after Mr Madden and honour his contribution to the town, the decision to rename the bridge was passed at the meeting last Wednesday.
SDRA chairman Annie Austin said Mr Madden had a genuine desire to help his local community and as part of this, actively lobbied for improvements to the bridge that is now named after him.
“The SDRA submitted the renaming of the bridge to council in account of Bob’s extraordinary work in telecommu-nications in Speewah,” she said.
“The group would like to commemorate Bob’s contribution to the community into the future and demonstrate respect and appreciation for his personal approach to volunteerism.”
Mayor Angela Toppin first met Mr Madden when he was chair of the SDRA.
“Bob was very invested in the com-munity, he improved telecommunication, and he did a whole range of things – a relentless worker,” she said.
“The residents really respected him and a lot of time for him and have asked for the renaming to happen.
“Bob’s legacy lives on in many areas of Kuranda and Speewah, and the nam-ing of the bridge in his honour will be a visible representation of his legacy.”
New signs are due to be manufactured in the near future and an official renam-ing of the bridge will take place in early 2023
