West Beach NHW Area Coordinator Michael Lowe, Treasurer Gillian Gordon and Secretary Louis Chirakis at the unveiling of Rodney Beames’ plaque at Apex Park.

A plaque honouring long-time Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) volunteer Rodney Beames was unveiled at Apex Park, West Beach recently as part of a NHW event focused on building community connections.

Rodney was West Beach Area Coordinator for 29 years, from 1996 until he died in 2024.

City of West Torrens Mayor, Michael Coxon, helped unveil the plaque alongside members of Rodney’s family.

West Beach NHW secretary, Louis Chirakis, described Rodney as a dynamic person and leader.

“Rodney had a loud voice and people paid attention when he spoke,” Louis recalled. “He always made sure we had a police coordinator at every meeting and throughout the years we’ve had guest speakers from just about every section of the police, from the STAR Force to the Dog Operations Unit. We even had former Commissioner of Police Malcolm Hyde attend one of our meetings.”

The community event included an ice cream truck, barbecue and interactive displays. Research shows that neighbourhoods where residents are involved in community activities can have lower crime rates. For more information about the benefits of community connection, visit NHW.sa.gov.au.

West Beach NHW meetings continue to be well attended - a testament to Rodney’s passion for the community.