Rockdale Community Newsletter

SeptemberOctober 2013

Saturday 26 October

Bexley Park 11am – 5pm

Councillor Paul SedrakLiberalPO Box 491Bexley NSW 2207M 0499 103 111E psedrak@rockdale.nsw.gov.au

Councillor Joe AwadaLaborPO Box A343Arncliffe NSW 2205M 0438 223 600E jawada@rockdale.nsw.gov.au

Councillor Liz BarlowIndependent – Deputy Mayor 40 Grantham Street Carlton NSW 2218 T 9553 9681 F 9593 0472 M 0417 490 882 E lbarlow@rockdale.nsw.gov.au

FIRST WARD

SECOND WARD

THIRD WARD

FOURTH WARD

FIFTH WARD

Your Councillors

Councillor Andrew TsounisLaborPO Box 323 Ramsgate NSW 2217F 9529 3624M 0401 268 888E atsounis@rockdale.nsw.gov.au

Councillor Peter PoulosLiberalPO Box 136Bexley NSW 2207T/F 9599 4743M 0416 101 663E ppoulos@rockdale.nsw.gov.au

Councillor Mark HannaIndependent8 Bowood Avenue Bexley NSW 2207T 9150 6031E mhanna@rockdale.nsw.gov.au

Councillor Nicholas MickovskiLiberalPO Box A11Arncliffe NSW 2205M 0402 530 350E nmickovski@rockdale.nsw.gov.au

Councillor Michael NagiIndependentPO Box 999Rockdale NSW 2216M 0403 222 666E mnagi@rockdale.nsw.gov.au

Councillor Petros KalligasLiberalc/- Rockdale City Council PO Box 21Rockdale NSW 2216M 0417 079 860E pkalligas@rockdale.nsw.gov.au

Councillor Bill SaravinovskiLaborPO Box 139Banksia NSW 2216M 0412 139 068E bsaravinovski@rockdale.nsw.gov.au

Councillor Lydia SedrakLiberalPO Box 491Bexley NSW 2207M 0407 377 379E lsedrak@rockdale.nsw.gov.au

Councillor Shane O’BrienLabor – Mayorc/- Rockdale City CouncilPO Box 21Rockdale NSW 2216M 0418 227 977E sobrien@rockdale.nsw.gov.au

Councillor James MacdonaldIndependent c/- Rockdale City CouncilPO Box 21Rockdale NSW 2216M 0434 140 530E jmacdonald@rockdale.nsw.gov.au

Councillor Ron BezicLiberalPO Box 195Sans Souci NSW 2219M 0400 508 238E rbezic@rockdale.nsw.gov.au

This document contains important information about Rockdale City Council. If you do not understand, please visit Council’s Customer Service Centre at 2 Bryant Street Rockdale on Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm. Council Staff will be happy to arrange interpreter services for you. You may also contact Telephone Interpreter Services on 131 450 and ask them to ring Rockdale City Council on 9562 1666 on your behalf.

Customer Service Centre

9562 1666www.rockdale.nsw.gov.au

This document is printed on environmentally responsible papers manufactured under the environmental management system ISO 14001 using Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) pulp sourced from sustainable, well managed forests.

Council’s Customer Service Centre is open on Saturdays from 9am to 1pm

It is a tremendous honour and responsibility for me to be elected to serve as Rockdale Mayor for a second year. I look forward to working with our Deputy Mayor Liz Barlow, Councillors and Council staff to deliver on our ambitious program for our city.

The next year will be an exciting time for Rockdale City as we continue with a number of major projects.

At the State of the City Community Forum on Tuesday 27 August I outlined the progress made by Council in delivering the Rockdale City Plan Delivery Program. We will continue to build on the work of Council to ensure important community projects become a reality.

Council agreed to a plan to revitalise the Princes Highway corridor between Wolli Creek and Rockdale City Centre. As the plan is implemented it will deliver more jobs and homes to the area.

The refurbished Town Hall will also be open to the public shortly and I am sure residents will be impressed with this new venue.

I believe Council is on the right track and we will continue to make a difference by actively engaging with the community.

Finally, nominations for Citizen of the Year are closing soon. Please take this opportunity to nominate someone in our city you believe deserves recognition.

Councillor Shane O’Brien, Mayor

Councillor Tarek IbrahimLabor26 Preddys RoadBexley NSW 2207M 0404 490 291E tibrahim@rockdale.nsw.gov.au

2 Bryant Street Rockdale NSW 2216 PO Box 21 Rockdale NSW 2216

Tel 02 9562 1666 Fax 02 9562 1777Email rcc@rockdale.nsw.gov.au

DX 25308 Rockdale

Events in Rockdale City

Community Events CalendarCommunity Grants Information EveningInformation on applying for local community grantsWhen Thursday 10 October, 6pmWhere Level 2 Conference Room, 2 Bryant St, RockdaleCall Denize Venn on 9562 1891----------------------------------------------------------------------Spring Festival Boshonto MelaBangladesh Society of Sydney - www.bdss.org.auWhen Saturday 12 October, 11am – 10pmWhere WIN Jubilee Stadium, 249 Princes Hwy, KogarahCall Shohelur Rahman on 0425 352 519, mela@bdss.org.au----------------------------------------------------------------------Rockdale Communicators ToastmastersLearn communication and leadership skills by practising public speaking (first and third Wednesday every month)When Wednesday 16 October, 7:30pm – 9pmWhere Rockdale RSL, 45 Bay Street, RockdaleCall Clay Halford on 0431 407 149----------------------------------------------------------------------Cooks River Sampling Volunteers NeededAssist Cooks River Alliance with field sampling in streams to monitor ecosystem health. Bookings essential.When Sunday 20 October, 9am – 1pm Where Coolibah Reserve, Bardwell ValleyCall 9748 9644 or email info@cooksriver.org.au----------------------------------------------------------------------The Small Biz BusFree information and mentoring service for small businessWhen Tuesday 22 October, 7:30am – 8:15amWhere Bunnings Car Park, 383 West Botany St, RockdaleCall John Carter on 9562 1863----------------------------------------------------------------------2013 Breakfast TorqueBreakfast, bands and bikes. Come along and be a part of this awesome motorcycle safety eventWhen Sunday 27 October, 8am – 12noonWhere Loftus Park, Princes Highway, LoftusCall Mark Stuart on 9710 0341, mstuart@ssc.nsw.gov.au

Watch these latest videos on www.rockdale.nsw.gov.au

Lights, Camera, Action

School Holiday Activities

Rockdale City Library

Rockdale Community Newsletter

SeptemberOctober 2013

MC Nick Fury as Gaston Soufflè

11:00am Cooking Showcase: Fork ‘n’ Knife 11:30am Koomurri Australian Aboriginal Dancers11:50am Welcome from the Mayor12:00pm St Gabriel’s Primary School12:15pm My Sauce Good 12:45pm Cooking Showcase: Fork ‘n’ Knife1:15pm Hot Potato1:45pm Team 9 Lives2:00pm Godfrey Uke and his Orchestra2:30pm Shaun Kirk 2:50pm Chasing the Moon 3:20pm Brazilian Fantasy Show4:00pm Salsa Kingz

ROCkDALE CITY COuNCIL PRESENTS...

A CELEBRATION OF MuSIC, FOOD AND DANCE FROM AROuND THE WORLD

Saturday 26 October

Bexley Park 11am – 5pm

One Big Day Of Buying, Selling & OlD SchOOl SOcial netwOrking!

Register Now!garagesaletrail.com.au

Saturday 7 December, 6pmLady Robinsons Beach, Brighton Le Sands

(opposite Bay Street, corner The Grand Parade)

Rockdale City Council presents...

Hosted by Monica Trapaga featuring community groups & local churches performing

everyone’s favourite carol sing-a-longs

Existing view of the Princes Highway Employment Corridor at Banksia.

Indicative photomontage of possible new development along the Princes Highway Employment Corridor at Banksia.

New Gateway to CityOn Wednesday 4 September 2013 Council voted to adopt a plan to revitalise the Princes Highway corridor between Wolli Creek and Rockdale City Centre. Council will work to implement its plan which will deliver more jobs and homes to the area.

The Princes Highway Corridor Strategy, developed after a public exhibition and consultation process earlier this year, is backed by extensive planning and economic analysis. Council’s plan to revitalise the corridor along the highway will create about 670 full time jobs and grow the Arncliffe centre to provide an additional 860 homes.

Council will strengthen its planning controls to protect views of the St Francis Xavier Church Spire. Recommendations will also be put into place to ensure the project meets Council’s expectations. This includes building controls, improvements to public space, developing the local economy and public transport.

Council will undertake a traffic study and amend planning controls to ensure the right infrastructure is in place to support its vision. A detailed Implementation Plan will be presented to Council for endorsement.

Thursday 5 Decemberking Street Place, 5:30pm – 9:30pm

FEATuRING:

Lighting of the tree by the Mayor, children’s rides, meet and greet Santa,

screening of The Muppet Christmas Carol, face painting... and much more!

Call for NominationsNominations for Rockdale Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year and Sportsperson of the Year close on Thursday 31 October at 4:30pm.

Nominations forms are available from Council’s Customer Service Centre, Council libraries and website www.rockdale.nsw.gov.au

Garage Sale Trail

Submit youR NeWSEmail your community news or event details (including your contacts) to news@rockdale.nsw.gov.au Submissions will be edited for space and clarity. There is no guarantee that all submissions will be published.

COuNCIL PROjECTSCOuNCIL PROjECTS

Pedestrian Bridge – TurrellaThe old dilapidated pedestrian bridge over Wolli Creek at Henderson Street, Turrella has been replaced with a new widened bridge suitable for all pedestrians and cyclists.

The new 3m wide bridge has been designed to withstand all flood events within Wolli Creek and enable both pedestrians and cyclists to safely cross the creek.

This project cost $600,000 and was equally shared between Rockdale City and Canterbury City Councils as Wolli Creek is the boundary between the two Councils.

In addition to the new bridge, bank stabilisation has been carried out on either side of Wolli Creek to repair bank erosion, remove noxious weeds and clear rubbish from the waterway.

Rockdale Mayor Shane O’Brien and Canterbury Mayor Brian Robson, inspected progress of the new state-of-the-art pedestrian bridge on Wednesday 4 September.

“This is a fantastic outcome for residents and a great example of what can be achieved when Councils pool resources and work together,” Mayor Shane O’Brien said.

Dune Restoration – MontereyCouncil’s contractor, Soil Conservation Services, has completed the restoration of a 400m long section of the Lady Robinsons beach dunes at Monterey.

This work involved the installation of dune fencing, reshaping the frontal dunes, laying jute matting, planting a selection of dunal plants and reinstating pedestrian accessways through the dunes.

This project cost $100,000 and was awarded a $50,000 grant under the Coastal Management Program from the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage.

Floodlights – Cahill Park, Wolli CreekCouncil’s contractors, Australian Foundation Systems and REES Electrical, installed 4 new towers and floodlights around Cahill Park to upgrade the lighting to the latest Australian Standards for sports fields.

This project cost $300,000 and was awarded a $105,000 grant under the Community Partnership Program from the Office of Communities. In addition to the lighting Council also replaced the dilapidated cyclone fencing around the Oval with a new white picket fence at a cost of $76,500.

Rockdale Mayor Shane O’Brien officially switched on the floodlights at an evening BBQ held on Tuesday 10 September.

Representatives from the Arncliffe Scots Junior Rugby League Club, the St George District Cricket Club and members of the Wolli Creek Community Forum also attended the event.

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The Community Grants Program 2013/2014 round opened on Monday 16 September 2013. Local community groups and clubs are invited to apply for:

Smalls Grants (one-off grants up to $1,500) – purchase of equipment, special activities or information resources.

Seeding Grants (one-off grants up to $5,000) – establish new community, social, cultural or leisure program.

Applications close Friday 31 January 2014 at 4:30pm

To assist in the development of grant submissions, Council is hosting a community grants information evening on Thursday 10 October 2013, at 6pm, Level 2 Conference Room, 2 Bryant Street, Rockdale.

For further information and to register please contact Council’s Community Planning and Reporting Services, Denize Venn on 9562 1891. Guidelines and application forms are available from Council’s Customer Service Centre or www.rockdale.nsw.gov.au

Mayor Shane O’Brien and Councillor Andrew Tsounis with some of the previous recipients.

Weed ControlCouncil is starting a program to control alligator weed and over the next six months you may see some warning signs as contractors will be spraying locations where alligator weed is present.

Alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides), originally from South America is a weed of National Significance. It is a potentially devastating weed that grows in water and on land, affecting both waterways and floodplain areas by blocking water flow.

For further information please contact Council’s Natural Resource Management Officer on 9562 1703.

Free workshops but booking is essential on 9562 1663 or visit www.eventbrite.com.au

backyard Vegie basicsGrowing vegies in the back yard can be a satisfying and healthy hobby. This workshop run by Emma Daniel of Natural Touch Landscapes will go through the basics to get your garden up and growing.

When Sunday 13 October, 10am – 1pmWhere Carrs Park Community Garden

72 Carwar Ave, Carss Park----------------------------------------------------------------------

An introduction to Household energy efficiencyIn this practical workshop presented by John Caley from Ecological you will learn how to understand your energy bill and reduce your energy use as well as what to look out for in appliances.

When Saturday 2 November 10am – 12 noonWhere Rockdale Community Nursery

41 Beach Street, Kogarah----------------------------------------------------------------------

Keeping Native bee HivesPeter Clarke, one of Sydney’s foremost native bee experts, runs this informative workshop about these curious insects and how to keep them.

When Sunday 10 November 10am – 1pm Where Carrs Park Community Garden

72 Carwar Ave, Carss Park

ENVIRONMENTAL WORKSHOPS

Community Grants

Sign displayed on building material containing asbestos.

Warning to contractors and staff that building material containing asbestos is present and that work can not be performed without compliance to the asbestos management plan.

This sign is used to indicate building material containing

asbestos that is located above (or below) the location of

the sign.

On Tuesday 27 August Mayor Shane O’Brien hosted a community forum attended by over 20 community members who took the opportunity to question the Mayor, and General Manager Meredith Wallace.

The Mayor outlined the progress made by Council in delivering the Rockdale City Plan Delivery Program and revealed the results of the community survey.

The progress report showed that the majority of the Delivery Program is trending positively, and 77% of capital projects met their targets in 2012-2013.

Completed projects include:

✦ Arncliffe Library, early childhood and women’s rest centre upgrade.

✦ Design and construction of a playground at Pemberton Reserve.

✦ Reactive repairs and maintenance to beach infrastructure - foreshore boardwalks, seawalls, railings, swimming enclosures, dunal planting and stabilisation.

✦ New footpath constructed in Shaw Street, kingsgrove

A major element of the Forum was to look at the progress of projects funded by the Special Rate Variation.

The forum is one of four each year, including two major State of the City Forums. The next forum will be in January 2014. The full reports are available on Council’s website www.rockdale.nsw.gov.au under City Plan.

State of the CityCOMMUNITY FORUM

Asbestos was widely used in the Australian construction industry between 1945 and 1980 before it was finally banned in 2003. Council is determined to manage the risk posed by asbestos in the community and has an Asbestos Management Plan that identifies asbestos in all Council owned buildings.

Council is working to manage and, where possible, safely remove asbestos containing materials (ACM) from Council buildings. Council’s Asbestos Management Plan includes:

✦ An asbestos register to identify all asbestos or asbestos related material in Council owned buildings.

✦ Assessment of the level of risk involved.

✦ Recommendations to eliminate or minimise the risk.

✦ Procedures for dealing with incidents or emergencies.

✦ Procedures for ensuring staff receive adequate training.

✦ Procedures for annual review of control measures.

This asbestos register and management plan will be publically available as Council continues to build a safer community for all. The following work has already been safely carried out:

✦ Ramsgate Surf Life Saving Club, roof replacement.

✦ Syd Frost Hall, roof replacement.

✦ Rockdale Town Hall, refurbishment.

✦ Bexley Depot, roof replacements.

Council will undertake immediate remedial action to ensure workplace safety when necessary. In most cases a small warning label will be placed on the building once it has been assessed. This is to ensure tradespeople and workers are adequately warned and can take appropriate care when undertaking repairs to Council buildings.

Residents need to be aware of the dangers when renovating and must use approved contractors. More information is available from Councils website www.rockdale.nsw.gov.au

Asbestos Management

Stop Illegal DumpingCouncil needs your help to reduce the amount of illegal dumping in Rockdale City Council which costs us more than $200,000 each year.

Dumped rubbish costs our community more than just dollars. Dumping also results in:

Degradation of the land, plants and animal habitats

Possible contamination of soil and water sources

Alteration of normal drainage course of runoff, making areas susceptible to flooding and erosion

Reduction of aesthetic amenity, deterring people from visiting areas

Items create physical and chemical hazards

Attracting rodents, insect and other vermin that pose health risk

Attracting further criminal activities, decreasing community pride

Magpie NestingDuring spring magpies become very protective of their chicks and can swoop on people passing their nests. Some things you can do:

Do not provoke the birds

Hold an umbrella, above your head to deter attacks

Avoid the nesting sites and take a alternate route

Wear a hat, sunglasses, or an old ice cream bucket on your head

Magpies are protected in NSW. It is against the law to kill the birds, collect their eggs or harm their young. Magpies should not be fed.

Found an injured bird? Contact WIRES on 1300 094 737.

If you see someone dumping rubbish or know of a ‘Dumping Ground’ report it to Council’s Customer Service Centre or after hours service on 9562 1666.

Council pays rates too and many residents are probably not aware how much Council needs to spend to ensure the City runs smoothly. The following 2012/13 costs should provide some illumination:

Gas $93,788

Water $377,915

Electricity $574,771

Street lighting $2,013,023

2013 Ron RathboneLocal History PrizeThis year Deputy Mayor Liz Barlow presented the awards at an outdoor ceremony in the recently refurbished Ron Rathbone Place, Bexley.

First prize was awarded to David Martin (pictured left) for The Rockdale Municipal Honour Roll of volunteers who served in the 1st AIF during the Great War of 1914-1918. This work is an investigation into every soldier listed on Council’s WWI

Honour Boards and gives the history of the men from Rockdale who volunteered to fight in the First World War.

Runner up was Charles Davis (right) for General Holmes and a man called Leitch an insight into the building and naming of General Holmes Drive.

All entries are available at www.rockdale.nsw.gov.au/RonRathbonePrize

COMMuNITy SuRVEyCouncil recently commissioned Micromex Research to conduct a community survey of randomly selected residents to help monitor progress and assist in planning future services and facilities.