City Life | Autumn Edition | no 98

MAYOR’S MESSAGE

Frank Carbone

It’s only March but our City has seen one of its busiest, most exciting starts to the year.

In a few short months Council hosted many successful family friendly events, improved the amenity of our urban and open spaces, and has started to build, or is about to build, several super parks and other major projects.

Residents and families of all ages have enjoyed Council’s free events including the Seniors Concert, the Australia Day celebrations at our leisure centres, and we saw in the New Year with a bang with thousands of residents enjoying family-friendly entertainment, food, rides and spectacular fireworks at our New Year’s Illuminate event.

We have plenty more events coming soon including our City’s biggest Youth Week event – the Bring It On! Festival in April, followed by the gastronomic and cultural delights of Culinary Carnival in May.

It has been great to see our events give such delight to local families and strengthen our community spirit.

We have continued work on delivering our City’s infrastructure to benefit residents and families now and into the future with work starting on two new super parks at Bareena Park, Canley Vale and Fairfield Heights Park. We have also created a new urban oasis for workers, shoppers and visitors to Fairfield City Centre with the Crescent International Memorial space upgrade near Fairfield Rail Station.

This is in addition to the tens of millions of dollars being invested into our local roads, footpaths, sportsfields, kerb and guttering, playgrounds and outdoor fitness equipment.

We continue to advocate for our City and community in areas controlled by other levels of Government. Recently we have received an election commitment of hundreds of millions of dollars to significantly upgrade Fairfield Hospital to a level we both deserve and need. We also made sure that our concerns about the repatriation of ISIS wives were heard and we continue to seek to have a more equitable burden of road tolls with a toll-free and free parking Sunday so our families can get to the beach without it costing them a fortune.

Our free events, infrastructure works and voice to government are investments into what matters to you and makes our City an even greater place to live, work, play and raise a family.

Frank Carbone Mayor of Fairfield City

13,000 people enjoyed our Illuminate New Year’s Eve celebrations.

We celebrated Lunar New Year at Cabramatta and Canley Heights.

Congratulations to Flavio and Maria, who have grown the world’s tallest broad bean plant at 3.65 metres, right here in Fairfield City.

2023 CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

DIANE GORMAN

2023 YOUNG CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

NEETHU SIRIL

2023 VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

KHANH VAN MACH

2023 SPORTS ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR

LUKA KNEZEVIC

FAIRFIELD CITY AUSTRALIA DAY COMMUNITY AWARDS

Dedication, hard work and lending a hand to others were the common themes at Council’s annual Australia Day awards ceremony in January. The ceremony, which took place at Aquatopia water park in Prairiewood, celebrated and recognised residents who make valuable contributions to our community.

For more information on our winners please visit www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov. au/australiaday-winners

Congratulations to all the nominees on their achievements and thank you to Mr Nicholas Gleeson, for being our Fairfield City 2023 Australia Day Ambassador.

2023 winners join Mayor Frank Carbone, Councillors and Australia Day Ambassador Nicholas Gleeson.

FAIRFIELD SHOWGROUND

thurs 6 - tues 11 April

ENTRY ONLY $2 + FREE PARKING

ENTERTAINMENT • CARNIVAL RIDES & GAMES

SHOWBAGS • ANIMAL NURSERY • REPTILE SHOW FOOD TRUCKS • FAMILY MOVIE NIGHTS

CIRCUS ACTS • HUMAN CANNON BALL RING OF STEEL & MORE!

KIDS BIG DAY OUT

THURS 6 APRIL • 4PM-9PM

FIRST 500 KIDS RECEIVE A FREE PLUSH TOY ALL RIDES ALL DAY $2 EACH

UNLIMITED RIDE WRIST BANDS $27.50 ONLINE OR $35 AT THE EASTER FAIR (FOR USE ON FRI 7- TUES 11 APRIL)

FIREWORKS 8.30PM EVERY NIGHT!

OPENING

TIMES

EASTER AROUND THE CITY

Hop to it! Special Easter guests are coming to Fairfield City and they’re bringing sweet treats! Find them roaming the streets handing out free Easter eggs.

EASTER PRESCHOOL

STORYTIME

Fairfield Library 31 March | 10.30am

Wetherill Park Library 31 March | 10.30am

Smithfield Library 3 April | 10.30am

Bonnyrigg Library 5 April | 10.30am

Whitlam Library 5 April | 10.30am

EASTER CRAFT FUN

Fairfield Library 3 April | 4pm

Wetherill Park Library 4 April | 4pm

Whitlam Library 5 April | 4pm

Bonnyrigg Library 6 April | 4pm

EASTER BUNNY VISITS

Fairfield Heights 5 April | 11.30am

Epoch Plaza 6 April | 11.30am

THURS 6 • 4PM TO 9PM FRI 7 TO TUES 11 • 10AM TO 9PM

Supported by Fairfield City Council

For more information follow

@FairfieldEasterFair

Canley Vale 8 April | 3pm

Cabramatta 12 April | 10am

Canley Heights 13 April | 12pm

ADVOCATING FOR OUR HOSPITAL

Fairfield Hospital and the health needs of our community are a step closer to getting the attention it needs thanks to our continued advocacy and strong community support.

Our funding campaign, which included an 11,000-signature petition, has been successful in getting a multi-million dollar commitment from the NSW Opposition for an upgrade of our hospital.

The commitment to upgrade Fairfield Hospital includes an initial $115 million over three years to expand the hospital bed capacity, reinstate the Emergency Department and intensive care unit capacity, expand and enhance aged care, dialysis, radiology, mental health and other services.

We have also met with South Western Sydney Local Health District to discuss the community’s current concerns and will continue to request a commitment from the NSW Government.

Visit us today at 1/3 Hamilton Rd, Fairfield!

Comfortable seating and furniture

Nooks and quiet places to read and study

The café has the fuel to keep you going, serving hot and cold drinks, assorted sandwiches, sweets and snacks

The Connect Room has a PS4 installed featuring popular games such as FIFA and Overcooked

Free Wi-Fi access and charging stations for your devices

Access to computers, iPads, Amazon Fire Tablets and scanning and printing services

Meeting room with smart interactive TV with laptop connectivity and a whiteboard wall FREE Membership!

Visit www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/library, fill out the membership form and you can borrow and access our online resources immediately

ACCESS

Fairfield City Open Libraries have many fantastic and FREE online resources available to members.

Read magazines, newspapers and books, learn with a tutorial or watch movies from around the world and so much more – all for FREE. Looking for quality, affordable childcare?

To join our early learning community and give your children the best start, please add your child to the wait list by scanning the QR code.

Contact cfs@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au or call 9725 0393 for more information.

We will keep you updated and we will continue to fight to ensure the hospital gets the attention it so desperately needs. @FCOpenLibraries

27 MAY, 11AM-6PM

Join us this May at Fairfield City’s spectacular Culinary Carnival! Our biggest street feast is returning to Fairfield, so come along and experience all that Culinary Carnival has to offer.

Get ready to party in the streets of Fairfield with the Crazy Bull, Miguel Maestre, as he brings fun and fire to this year’s mouth-watering event.

This free family street party will showcase a carnival of colour and flavours, bringing the big and bright to the heart of Fairfield with authentic food and local cultural performances that will keep you wanting more.

#Fairfieldcitycentre #CulinaryCarnival

MIGUEL MAESTRE 2-5PM

@fairfieldcity @DiscoverFairfield fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/culinarycarnival

DISCOVER FAIRFIELD

There’s so much to discover in our City, even for those of us that have lived here for years!

To help residents and local families rediscover what our City has to offer in dining, festivals, events and family fun, we have launched the easy to navigate Discover Fairfield destination website.

Whether you’re a visitor to our City or simply rediscovering what’s in your own backyard, Discover Fairfield is a great resource that showcases the attractions, events and experiences that Fairfield City has to offer.

Find everything our City has to offer now at www.discoverfairfield.com.au.

FAIRFIELD HEIGHTS AND BAREENA PARK

In just a few short months, residents and families of all ages, will have two new super parks to enjoy and get out, about, healthy and active together.

Work is well underway upgrading Bareena Park, Canley Vale and Fairfield Heights Park playgrounds thanks to a $4.9 million grant from the NSW Government’s Public Spaces Legacy Program.

CENTRAL AREA

Bareena Park will comprise a one-of-a-kind large koi fish slide and climbing rope feature to go with a ‘water theme’ playground. Equipment will include five bay swings, carousels, spinners, rockers, seesaws, musical equipment, slides, toddler play area with shade, large gym node, learnto-ride circuit track, sheltered picnic areas and Exeloo toilet.

Fairfield Heights Park’s ‘nature theme’ playground will include a large treehouse piece with a slide, in addition to accessible play equipment, toddler and kids swings and play zone, flying fox, water play area, learn to ride track, gym node, bubbler, picnic areas and Exeloo toilet.

The two new playgrounds are due to be completed in July this year and join a lengthening list of Fairfield City super parks, such as the Adventure Park and Obstacle Course at Fairfield Park, Koonoona Park, Villawood and Deerbush Park at the Showground.

Crescent Streetscape Upgrade

Recognising our cultural heritage is important because it has made us who we are today.

To continue to recognise our heritage, we are investing more than $700,000 on a big upgrade of the open space where the Fairfield International Monument is at The Crescent near the Fairfield rail and taxi interchange.

This space and the monument was set aside many years ago to recognise the many immigrant groups and people who had made a contribution to our community. With the upgrade, we will continue to recognise this history for many generations to come.

The International Monument came to fruition through a design competition run by Council in 1968. It was paid for by the Fairfield Multicultural Society, who raised $20,000 to build it.

We are also planting more trees, installing new seating, wider paths and new paving for commuters and shoppers to enjoy while also restoring the significant other cultural monuments that were built here – the PJ Friend clock erected in 1958 and the Stimson Memorial drinking fountain in 1935.

Multicultural and Sports Centre

Council has been successful in securing funding through the NSW Government’s WestInvest Program to finance part of the proposed indoor Multicultural and Sports Centre at Fairfield Showground.

Concept plans for the $46.5 million project include 4 multipurpose sports courts and stage/performance area, 800-seat grandstand and corporate box seating for 50, meeting rooms, change rooms, umpires’ room, and kitchen and kiosk.

The facility will cater for recreational to competition level sports such as gymnastics, boxing, wrestling, weightlifting, futsal, basketball, volleyball, netball, badminton, table tennis, as well as events like exhibitions, conferences, weddings and banquets.

Early works are expected to start in April 2023. The major construction works are expected to start in September 2024.

Leisure Centre upgrades

We’ve been busy making upgrades to our leisure centres’ facilities the past few months to ensure the best aquatic and fitness fun for families next summer.

Council is investing about $4 million on Fairfield Leisure Centre with its 50-metre outdoor pool being replaced with a new pool and upgraded concourse area.

We are also planning a new roof for the 25-metre pool at Fairfield Leisure Centre and recently upgraded the centre’s steam room.

Prairiewood Leisure Centre received an air conditioning upgrade as well as a new steam room and its 50-metre pool was renovated late last year.

AROUND OUR CITY

NEWS AND EVENTS

Thousands joined together at Fairfield City’s New Year’s Eve ‘Illuminate’ event at Fairfield Showground with lots of family friendly entertainment, free rides and spectacular fireworks.

More than 500 of our City’s seniors enjoyed live performances, dancing and prizes at Council’s annual Seniors Concert in December.

Mayor Frank Carbone joined in celebrating Indigenous Flora Park volunteer group’s 30th anniversary, presenting a table and plaque.

Mayor Frank Carbone kicked off Christmas festivities across the City in December with lighting up the tree in Fairfield City Centre.

Channel 7’s Sunrise program visited Aquatopia late last year. Sunrise has more than a million viewers every morning!

Thank you to residents who nominated their favourite house with Christmas decorations and congratulations to all the winners.

We celebrated Lunar New Year at Canley Heights Town Centre in January with some spectacular fireworks.

The community generously donated more than 2500 toys and thousands of food items to the Mayor’s Christmas Appeal.

The new Cabravale Memorial Park playground was opened. The $400,000 upgrade was jointly funded by Council and NSW Government.

Western Sydney Cycling Network launched an electric trishaw to help people less mobile reconnect and explore the world.

FAIRFIELD CITY MUSEUM & GALLERY

AFTERTASTE

15 April – 12 August 2023

Curated by Megan Fizell, Aftertaste considers how food can act as a way to connect individuals to a shared cultural experience or place.

The exhibition will ignite conversations around culture, identity, and representation by the way of tastes on the tongue.

Visit fcmg.nsw.gov.au for more information about what’s on at Fairfield City Museum & Gallery.

fairfieldcitymuseumgallery

@fairfieldcitymuseumgallery

634 The Horsley Drive, Smithfield NSW (Entry via Oxford Street)

WHAT’S ON @ FCMG

MAR 2023 – OCT 2023

AUTUMN HOLIDAY PROGRAM

Visit FCMG.eventbrite.com.au for details and to register. April 2023

SHOPKEEPERS

Shopkeepers presents a social history of local entrepreneurs and business owners.

Until 15 April 2023

MÌNH

This exhibition reveals our collective explorations and longings, shedding light on the afterlives of diaspora.

29 April – 14 October 2023

IS IT GARBAGE OR RECYCLING?

We all want to do the right thing for the planet and recycle, right?

We know that sometimes we’re not quite sure if certain things can be recycled. For example, soft plastic bags ALWAYS go in the red garbage bin, but what about food packaging? Which bin does that go in?

Learn what goes in the red-lidded garbage bin and the yellow-lidded recycling bin. We have information available in English, Vietnamese, Assyrian, Chinese, Khmer and Arabic.

There is also a full A-Z list of items that you can use as a quick, easy-to-use ready reckoner!

Visit www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/whichbin.

KERBSIDE CLEAN-UP

DON’T FEED THE BIRDS!

Calling all bird lovers!

Did you know by feeding local birds you can cause them harm?

Birds find food for themselves and human food can make them sick, including things like bread.

Let’s wholeheartedly love our birds - Please don’t feed them.

We

Mayor Frank Carbone invites you to the 2023 Fairfield City Seniors’ Bus Tour. Come

WHAT’S ON

HOLIDAY FUN FOR EVERYONE!

SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAM AT FCMG*

Let’s get creative! From 11-14 April

Join FCMG for some fun creative workshops during the April school holidays! Workshops include making self portraits in clay, designing easter cupcakes, making decor for your room and a whole lot more! For more information head to fcmg.eventbrite.com.

FAIRFIELD CITY OPEN LIBRARIES THESE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS*

Get crafty! - Bunnings Craft Funday

Bunnings Bonnyrigg, Smithfield and Villawood are holding fun craft activity days across our City libraries

Watch a film - Family Movie Time

Children and their families are invited to join us for movies on the big screen these school holidays.

Play games and stunts! Benny D - Der Chef

Comic circus performer Benny B will be serving up a feast of entertainment at Fairfield City Open Libraries. From traditional kitchen games to bizarre stunt recipes, be prepared to witness the heat from this explosive show that combines physical comedy circus and absurdism.

Our City is diverse and culturally rich, full of fun family festivals, events, sporting facilities, leisure and recreational centres, parks and playgrounds, food and heritage!

What do you love about living in our City? Get creative and express this in an artwork or photograph.

Competition opens Monday 27 March 2023 and closes Sunday 25 June 2023. Winners will be announced at the 25 July Council meeting.

Aquatopia Water Park

is open weekends and every Tuesday and Thursday of the April School Holidays!

Host your own party in one of our many cabanas that come with a barbecue, small fridge, fan, table, bench seating and park access!

Frank Carbone Mayor of Fairfield City fcarbone@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au 9725 0203

@FC.FrankCarbone @FairfieldMayor

CONTACT US

Phone 9725 0222

NRS 133 677 (Hearing Impaired)

TIS 131 450 (Interpreter Service)

Administration Centre 86 Avoca Road, Wakeley

Monday to Friday 8.30am-4.30pm

Call Centre

Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm PO Box 21 Fairfield NSW 1860 mail@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

Follow us @fairfieldcity @DiscoverFairfield

YOUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES

PARKS WARD

FAIRFIELD/CABRAVALE

Reni Barkho Deputy Mayor 0404 445 551 rbarkho@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

George Barcha 0427 901 166 gbarcha@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

Dai Le 0410 899 787 dle@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

Milovan Karajcic 0417 770 110 mkarajcic@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

Michael Mijatovic 0432 442 921 mmijatovic@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

Hugo Morvillo 0438 530 131 hmorvillo@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

Kevin Lam 0483 809 606 klam@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

Carmen Lazar 0410 643 568 clazar@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

Andrew Rohan 0431 264 990 arohan@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

Marie Saliba 0437 984 704 msaliba@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

Kien Ly 0412 564 388 kly@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

Charbel Saliba 0427 725 422 csaliba@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

WARD

Fairfield City Council acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land in which the Fairfield Local Government Area is situated - the Cabrogal of the Darug Nation.