PARRAMATTA HONOURS JOSEPH WEHBE 15 February 2017 (Translation of this article appears in Arabic section) State Member for Granville Julia Finn today joined Mr Charlie Wehbe and other family members to welcome the official naming of Joseph Wehbe Walk in Carlingford. The late Joseph Wehbe, and father of Mr Charlie Wehbe, was a builder who constructed buildings in the Carlingford, Parramatta and Granville areas and also tirelessly maintained an unnamed laneway behind his home. The Wehbe family approached Ms Finn for assistance soon after her election as Member for Granville. The former Parramatta City Council requested the Geographical Names Board to name the unnamed lane “Joseph Wehbe Lane” in memory of his contribution to the community and efforts in maintaining the laneway. However the Board refused the request, wanting to call the lane “Wehbe Lane” and did not agree to the new name “Joseph Wehbe Walk” until Ms Finn got involved. The extended Wehbe family has made a great contribution to the Parramatta area. There are over a hundred families across the former Parramatta City Council local government area with Wehbe as their surname and many are quite prominent and active in their local communities. Quotes attributable to Member for Granville Julia Finn: “In my visit to Lebanon last year, I was privileged to see a replica of the Joseph Wehbe Walk street sign in a prominent position in Blouza, his ancestral home. “Mr Wehbe was a resident of Blaxcell Street, Granville and there are about 5000 people from Blouza living in the Granville/Parramatta area even though there are only 1000 in the village in Lebanon. “The naming of Joseph Wehbe Walk is an acknowledgement of the great contribution Mr Wehbe made to our community, as well as recognition of the first generation of migrants from Blouza and other parts of Lebanon. He was a role model for the migrants of the 1950s and those who followed.” Quotes attributable to Mr Charlie Wehbe: “My father was a humble man who would be embarrassed by the naming of Joseph Wehbe Walk but my family is so proud he has been recognised. “We are also thankful to Ms Julia Finn who was instrumental in ensuring the Naming could take place today.” |
