Adelaide Hills Council hopes Santos Tour Down will boost fire impacted communities

Following recent fire devastation to a huge portion of the Adelaide Hills, including districts that will be involved in this year’s Santos Tour Down Under, the Adelaide Hills Council is hoping that communities hosting stage events, and those nearby, are still feeling positive about the international event’s visit to their region.

Adelaide Hills Council Mayor, Jan-Claire Wisdom explained this week “our communities have been hit hard by this devastating emergency, and are already working on the long process of recovery.

“A huge event like the Santos Tour Down Under is something the community can look forward to; it provides them with an opportunity to come together and celebrate after a time of great fear and distress.”

“We look forward to welcoming visitors back into the hills.”

On Tuesday this week the community met with international UCI WorldTour cycling team, CCC Team, at the Woodside Playground.

Mayor Wisdom added “the volunteers of Love Woodside, and the Woodside Commerce Association, are working hard to finish decorations for their stage start on 22nd January.

“The working bees have become a place of respite for the community, who are using the creative outlet as part of their recovery.

“By decorating the township with colour, flowers and butterflies, the volunteers want to express their feelings of resilience and a movement towards rejuvenation.”

Over 25,000 hectares of the Adelaide Hills were burned in the Cudlee Creek fire, with one life and 84 homes lost.

The 2020 Tour Down Under will begin is being staged from Tuesday 21st to Sunday 26th January.