A snapshot of our achievements by Ku-ring-gai Council

A SNAPSHOT OF OUR ACHIEVEMENTS J U LY - N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6

A SNAPSHOT OF OUR ACHIEVEMENTS

THEME 1 C O M M U N I T Y, P E O P L E A N D C U LT U R E A healthy, safe, and diverse community that respects our history and celebrates our differences in a vibrant culture of learning.

Time banking volunteer program

Active Ku-ring-gai

A program in which volunteer time and skills are bartered among community members was initiated and promoted with two information mornings and a new time banking membership group started in Ku-ring-gai. From July to September, 53 enquiries were received regarding volunteering opportunities. All of those over the age of 18 were placed with an organisation in Hornsby or Ku-ring-gai.

This period of Active Ku-ring-gai brought together 237 attendees from the local area to participate in the various classes available. Pilates and Gym Without Walls again proved to be very popular with 42 and 46 enrolments respectively.

Information on volunteering for local organisations was distributed at community events such as the Wildflower Garden Festival and Turramurra Community Garden Open Day. Two Macquarie University students were engaged to investigate how elderly residents without access to electronic media are able to find the information on services they require. The students’ report will address solutions to this issue.

Ku-ring-gai Fitness & Aquatic Centre Ku-ring-gai Fitness and Aquatic Centre achieved quite strong attendances for the remainder of the winter period with Learn to Swim, Recreational Swimming and Fitness averaging 45%, 35% and 22% of total visits respectively. In July the Centre’s marketing focused on a campaign offering new fitness members no joining fee and two weeks free for fitness memberships. The campaign was a success with the Centre achieving a total of 211 new memberships. Aqua-Aerobics, Group Fitness classes and particularly the seniors PrYme classes all saw a slight increase in attendance with small group training remaining steady. Discussions with the YMCA have begun to introduce healthy cooking classes, healthy eating promotional days and the presence of a certified dietician/nutritionist. Drainage around the 50m pool has been assessed and will need replacing. A new pace clock is to be installed at the western end of the 50m pool and the water fountain will be relocated from the upper foyer to inside the gym. The YMCA was granted a two-year extension to its contract by the Council to run the Ku-ring-gai Fitness & Aquatic Centre in October. The new agreement will see the community not-forprofit organisation continue to operate the facility until 2018. 2

A snapshot of our acheivements | July - November 2016

One of the Cardio Tennis classes (Friday) was cancelled mid term due to poor numbers. Meetings have been arranged with the remaining coach of Social and Cardio Tennis to boost numbers for these classes. Generally, these classes perform better in the warmer months so added marketing and promotion stronger numbers should be achieved for Term 4. Council has also had discussions with a yoga instructor regarding the introduction of a male only yoga class to attract male participation in yoga. If this class is added it will commence in early 2017.

Ku-ring-gai Art Centre The Art Centre has had a number of successful workshops in this period. Malcolm Carver’s The Art of Seeing- Pen and Wash Workshop in early August brought a number of new students as well as regulars to the Centre. John Well is a new tutor at the Centre and his workshop Learn to Draw the Smart Way in early September was a new initiative leading to class bookings. Bookings in this period increased from this time last year. A highlight in this period was the Annual Tutors Show in early September with special guest Michael Kempson opening the exhibition. Acclaimed jeweller Rachel Solomon’s Elemetal jewellery exhibition opened in November at the Centre. The Centre’s vegetable garden project continued in this period, which will now include a tiled mural. The veggie and herb garden will be used as a tool to teach children and adults about healthy eating and sustainability as well as a visual aid for art classes.

Application for St Ives eruv Following an appeal and subsequent in the Supreme Court an application for an eruv in an area of St Ives was retrospectively lodged with the Council in August. As part of the application process, a survey, map and a copy of the application were mailed to directly affected residents. Comments on the application closed on Friday 16 September.

Lights of our Lives exhibition

A report on the application’s assessment and outcomes from the public consultation was presented to the Council for a final decision in November. Plastic conduits and power lines form the basis of an eruv. It allows observant members of the Jewish faith to conduct activities on the Sabbath within the area of the eruv that they would otherwise not be able to do, such as push strollers, carry shopping and visit friends or family. Currently there are 330 residents in St Ives who identify themselves as observant Jews. The Council voted 8-2 to approve the application for the eruv at its 8 November meeting.

than 1700 Ku-ring-gai residents who enlisted in the war. Never-before-seen memorabilia donated by Ku-ring-gai families was on display, including a personally signed letter from the King, original posters, chocolate rations for soldiers and concert flyers distributed in Ku-ring-gai between1914 and1918. An M-rated First World War documentary and other footage from the Western Front was also screened at the exhibition. A special morning tea was organised for nursing home residents and older residents during the exhibition. The Council supported the Roseville RSL sub-branch with a donation and promotional assistance for its Remembrance Day service held on 11 November. The Council also marked Remembrance Day with a wreath laying ceremony on the day outside the Council Chambers.

Other community events The community-based initiative for refugees supported by residents, Lifeline, Rotary, local churches and schools and the Migrant Resource Centre concluded with a celebration involving those who contributed and 100 newly arrived refugee families at the Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden on Wednesday 13 July.

Crowds enjoying the free Twilight Concert at Wahroonga Park

Centenary of ANZAC The Lights of our Lives exhibition was hosted in Bicentennial Park from Saturday 23 July until Thursday 28 July and open to the public free-of-charge. The exhibition brought together an image-based roll call of Ku-ring-gai servicemen and women who were killed in World War One, as well as a Wall of Honour remembering the more

Newcomers to Ku-ring-gai were invited to a free bus tour of the local area on 15 September, showcasing sustainable businesses in the local area as well as other highlights of Ku-ring-gai’s natural environment. New residents were also treated to a free lunch at the newly upgraded North Turramurra Recreation Area. The Council’s popular free Twilight concert at Wahroonga Park produced another packed audience of over 4000 people in October. The theme for this year’s concert was music from the 70s and food stalls and children’s activities were also on offer. The Council again supported the Wahroonga Food & Wine Festival held in October with $8000 in sponsorship, in recognition that the event is loved by local foodies and wine connoisseurs alike. The Festival was held at Wahroonga Park, with free entry, 130 wines to taste and purchase as well Ku-ring-gai Council

The Council contributed $8000 in sponsorship to the Wahroonga Food & Wine Festival

as gourmet food, cheese tasting and fresh produce stalls. Approximately 8,000 people attended according to organisers. A Carers Forum co-hosted by the Council and NSW Health was held in October to discuss various issues of importance to carers and their families, including guardianship, legal services and the national disability insurance scheme. Three citizenship ceremonies were held during this period, with a total of 240 new Australian citizens receiving their citizenship certificates.

Children’s services Council is currently seeking additional premises to expand vacation care services. Additional service opportunities are being investigated at Lindfield. Support for the Ku-ring-gai Children’s Services network is being reviewed to cater for the increasing demand for services. All children’s services are currently operating to 100% capacity. Immunisation attendance increased during this period due to the implementation of an online booking system.

Multicultural services Weekly multicultural activities such as dancing, educational workshops, English language classes and cooking demonstrations were held at the Lindfield Seniors Centre in cooperation with the Community Migrant Resource Centre. The Ku-ring-gai Carnival of Cultures event was in October 2016 at the St Ives Park Public School in cooperation with a number of community groups. This was a celebration of multicultural diversity in Ku-ring-gai and aims to promote harmony and inclusion of people from different cultures. A health display at the library in Mandarin was mounted in conjunction with members of the Chinese community group CanRevive Inc. This display was accompanied by a free information talk on well-being in Mandarin. The Council worked in partnership with the Australian Chinese Association to present a series of classes for senior Chinese residents on falls prevention. Planning commenced for International Women’s Day and Harmony Day celebrations in 2017.

Older children & young adults During this period 954 young people participated in events organised by the youth services team. The inaugural Mayoral Creative Writing Competition received a total of 11 entrants, all of whom submitted high quality work. Gordon Youth Centre had a total attendance of 451 young people and St Ives Youth Centre 264 young people. Skills development workshops were held with a total of 149 attendances .A parent forum focusing on the topic of sleep during adolescence was also hosted. Three Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Youth Network meetings were held with a total of 50 attendees. These meetings helped coordinate the annual Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Youth Forum in October. Fifteen young people were provided with support and referral services during this period. 4

A snapshot of our acheivements | July - November 2016

The Council offers outreach services to help settle new Australians in Ku-ring-gai

Services for seniors During this period Aged Services staff ran the ongoing Fall Proof and Back to Basics exercise classes for seniors wanting to maintain or increase their mobility and flexibility. The Seniors in Action program was again extremely popular with 788 seniors attending a wide range of events including seminars on decluttering, tips for healthy backs, booking Council services online and a forum on navigating the changing aged care system. The Seniors in Action activities are aimed at reducing social isolation and providing activities that promote health and wellbeing as well as offering discussions and workshops on topical social issues. Seniors also attended outings to Brasserie Bread, took a tour of the Sydney Cricket Ground, had a musical afternoon at the Sydney Town Hall listening to Simon Tedeschi and Yvonne Kenny and enjoyed a day in the Blue Mountains touring the Hydro Majestic Hotel. A reverse mentoring program with young residents teaching seniors how to use technology was run in partnership with the youth services team. Feedback from participants was very positive. The Seniors Activity Committee met to discuss the 2017 Seniors Festival program for March. Planning is now under way to encourage community groups to participate. A letter of invitation will be sent out to community organisations in the next quarter.

Library services During this period library visitors attended digital workshops, with loans of ebooks and magazines doubling compared with the same quarter last year. Print loans remain strong and are Ku-ring-gai’s favourite way to read, accounting for over 90% of our loans. Both junior and adult fiction loans are increasing, with Ku-ringgai’s top titles for the quarter including Richard Flanagan’s award winning The Narrow Road to the Deep North, popular titles by Liane Moriarty and Jeffery Archer, and Roald Dahl’s children’s classic Fantastic Mr Fox.

Storytime at the library

Seniors in Action helps reduce social isolation in older residents

Library events and activities continue to expand. St Ives Library introduced a new recipe club, allowing community members to, exchange cooking tips and ideas and discover the library’s resources in this area. Our regular cryptic crossword club at Turramurra Library was booked out, with further workshops offered at Gordon and St Ives Libraries. The popular Author Talks during this quarter included a booked out visit from bestselling children’s author Jacqueline Harvey. Other activities on offer were free hearing tests by professional audiologists, scrabble tournaments and early literacy story times. Ku-ring-gai libraries hosted many cross collaborative displays, events and information sessions during this quarter. Those included displays for NAIDOC Week, the, Olympic Games, Book Week, notable people of Ku-ring-gai to elicit interest in our local community, Adult Learners Week, Ku-ring-gai bush walks, Chinese food and health, National Diabetes Week and National Science Week. History Week in September showcased a history of the local area called Then and Now which was very popular with residents.

Author Encounter with James Colman and Jack Mundey Ku-ring-gai Council

A SNAPSHOT OF OUR ACHIEVEMENTS

THEME 2 N AT U R A L E N V I R O N M E N T Working together as a community to protect and enhance our natural environment and resources.

Environmental policies A range of draft policies on biodiversity, making Ku-ring-gai a water sensitive city, native and non-native pest animal management, bushland management and the Council’s climate change adaption strategy were adopted for public exhibition during July. These were: ■ Draft Biodiversity Policy – sets out how the Council will manage and protect biodiversity in the local environment, while observing statewide, national and international policies and laws; ■ Draft Water Sensitive City Policy – replaces four existing policies. Sets out guidelines for managing local catchments, flooding, water security among other water-related issues; ■ Draft Fauna Management Policy – this policy deals specifically with how the Council will manage native and non-native animals that are considered pests; ■ Draft Bushland Dumping and Encroachment Policy – guidelines to tackle the problem of waste dumping in local bushland, as well as public land being used for private use;

Water and catchment management Culvert remediation works are currently taking place on Mona Vale Road at downstream outlets to remove blockages, protect existing services, reduce flow velocity and improve water quality flowing into ecologically significant bushland. Creek restoration works at Turiban Reserve were also conducted this quarter to reduce erosion and improve water quality and aquatic habitat in Lovers Jump Creek. Council continues to work with researchers from the CRC for Water Sensitive Cities and UTS on water management projects including investigations into harvested stormwater water quality.

Flood management

■ Draft Climate Change Adaptation Strategy – this version updates the previous strategy of 2010. It sets out a framework for the Council to respond to the challenges of climate change, such as flooding and rising temperatures;

Work on the Blackbutt Creek Flood Risk Management Study and Plan, which follows the Blackbutt Creek Flood Study began during this period. These studies are assisting Council to better understand and manage flood risk in the Ku-ring-gai area.

■ Draft Bushfire Prone Land Map – updates the previous mapping of 2008. The new maps have been prepared under revised Rural Fire Service classifications for bushfire prone land across Ku-ring-gai.

Sustainability initiatives

In August 2016 the policies were adopted by Council with minor changes resulting from the public exhibition.

Environmental award The Council’s Climate Wise Communities program was recognised by the NSW Government through the Resilient Australia Awards in October. The Resilient Australia Awards are coordinated by Minister Elliott and aim to recognise and promote initiatives which strengthen community disaster resilience. The awards cover all aspects of community safety and resilience with an emergency management focus. 6

Ku-ring-gai Council won the NSW Resilient Australia Government award for its Climate Wise Communities program. The program, which has been running for the past five years, helps local residents self-assess their vulnerability to severe weather events and through workshops, prepare plans to reduce risk.

A snapshot of our acheivements | July - November 2016

Over the last 12 months the Council’s long day centre Thomas Carlyle has recorded a 58% reduction in annual energy consumption and carbon emissions, and a $10,000/yr lower energy bill. This is the result of numerous measures implemented since 2012 including a solar hot water installation, draught proofing, an LED lighting upgrade, an air conditioning upgrade, and a solar PV installation. Gordon Library has recorded a 24% reduction in annual energy consumption and carbon emissions. In July solar panels were installed on the roof of Gordon Library and additional panels at Council’s depot at Pymble – doubling Council’s total solar power output from 112kWp to 243kWp. In total, 182 panels are being installed at Gordon Library and 277 panels at the Pymble Depot. The additional solar panels are being funded through Ku-ring-gai’s Environmental Levy and part of a

strategic energy savings plan for Council buildings. The new solar panels being installed add to existing ones at Ku-ring-gai Arts Centre in Roseville, the Thomas Carlyle Centre, North Turramurra Golf Course and the Council Depot. A $250,000 upgrade in October to the library’s lighting system was funded through the Council’s environmental levy. The so-called ‘intelligent lighting’ consists of smart sensors embedded in dimmable lights that adjust according to the amount of natural light entering the library and the presence of customers in the building. It also allows the of grouping lights into zones so light levels in different spaces of the library can be controlled according to how those spaces are used.

Community programs Through Council’s Loving Living Ku-ring-gai program 15 community sustainability workshops and events were delivered. These included a welcome bus tour for new residents, a National Tree Planting Day and a seminar on solar power and battery storage.

Council staff preparing an area of Sheldon Forest in Pymble for a hazard reduction burn

project. Those experts taking part gave advice to several hundred residents on sustainable architecture, energy efficiency, solar power and battery storage, natural building techniques, productive and sustainable gardens, green walls and building in a bushfire zone.

Bushfire management The Rural Fire Service has developed a Community Protection Plan for North Turramurra outlining the risk of bushfire, ‘leave early’ options and where community refuge areas known as Neighbourhood Safer Places are located. RFS and Council staff presented the plan to local residents in August. During September, October and November a series of planned hazard reduction burn-offs were carried out in various bushland locations throughout Ku-ring-gai in conjunction with the Rural Fire Service.

Ku-ring-gai residents were ranked number 1 in Sydney for disposing of old fridges through the Fridge Buyback program

Council’s 625 Bushcare, Streetcare and Parkcare volunteers contributed over 3,000 volunteer hours this quarter to bush regeneration to improve our natural environment. Through the Federal Government’s Green Army program, a number of young people are working on local environmental projects in Ku-ring-gai, whilst gaining practical skills and training. Projects include removing weeds, planting out degraded areas, monitoring hollows for habitat and propagating plants at the community nursery. In October Ku-ring-gai was ranked the number one local government area in NSW participating in the innovative Fridge Buyback program. The Fridge Buyback program offers a free professional collection service and a $25 cash rebate for residents who get rid of their energy guzzling second fridges. Collected fridges and freezers are then degassed and recycled.

Native animals Ku-ring-gai Council has continued its successful partnership with Wildthings NSW in defining the distribution of Eastern Pygmy Possums in Ku-ring-gai. In August, monitoring of a Powerful Owl nest confirmed a successful fledgling from a reserve in the south west of Ku-ring-gai. This is the first successful breeding recorded from this site since 2010.

Companion animals A series of free dog registration checks and agility tests were held in various local parks during November and December. The aim of these checks is to ensure the Companion Animal Register is kept current with owners’ details and updated to

On average Ku-ring-gai residents are redeeming 31 unwanted fridges or freezers per month and have recycled a total of 3,104 units since the program first started. That equals to an impressive collective saving of $931,200. Recycling the fridges has also resulted in 24,511 tonnes of greenhouse gases saved and 277 tonnes of metal recycled. Also in October another free ‘speed dating’ event was hosted where residents could book 20 minute sessions with renovation and building experts for advice on their renovation or building

Free agility tests during November and December Ku-ring-gai Council

A SNAPSHOT OF OUR ACHIEVEMENTS

THEME 3 P L A C ES , S PA C ES & I N F R A S T R U C T U R E A range of well planned, clean and safe neighbourhoods and public spaces designed with a strong sense of identity and place.

Development policy

Heritage

Council submissions have been finalised for a number of State Government policies under review including SEPP (Affordable Rental Housing) 2009, SEPP (Housing for Seniors or People with a Disability) 2004, SEPP No 19—Bushland in Urban Areas, Sydney Regional Environmental Plan (Sydney Harbour Catchment) 2005, Sydney Regional Environmental Plan No.20 and the Simplified Housing Code.

The Council’s annual grant funding for owners of heritage properties was opened for applications during this quarter. Property-owners were eligible for grants of up to $5000 to carry out maintenance and repair works on roofs, brickwork, ceilings and other heritage features. Applications closed on 30 May and funding for conservation works was allocated to nine properties. A community education workshop on heritage and sustainability is planned for the first half of 2017.

Ongoing input into the Greater Sydney Commission District Planning Technical Working Group was provided during this quarter. Work on the Council’s proposed affordable housing policy was suspended due to the Greater Sydney Commission’s role on policy-making in this area.

Development statistics 200 applications were processed between July and September with a median determination time of 66 days. This is significant decrease compared to the previous quarter (76 days) and is well below the performance target of 80 days. A significant number of complex applications were finalised and the proportion of older applications under assessment also trended down,constituting 33% of the overall number as opposed to 35% in the previous quarter. There was an increase in the number of undetermined applications compared to the previous quarter (339 vs. 313). Since January 608 applications have been determined and the Council’s pre-DA service is also proving to be popular, with 161 applications processed and another 47 under assessment at the end of this quarter.

Development compliance During this period a total of $12,000 fines were issued for breaches relating to breaches concerning fire safety in buildings. Other breaches of the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act saw penalty infringement notices worth $101,252 issued during the period. Council received 56 applications for swimming pool inspections and issued 94 orders during the period relating to swimming pool safety.

A snapshot of our acheivements | July - November 2016

The Council is awaiting a decision from the NSW Department of Planning for the proposed Middle Harbour Road heritage conservation area. During this period a review of priorities and funding for conservation management plans for Council owned heritage places began. Agreement was reached in September with the Historic Houses Trust and Council on the Trust’s future management of Tulkiyan House in Gordon. Tulkiyan is an historic heritage property bequeathed to the Council in the 1980s.

Ku-ring-gai Architecture & Urban Design Awards The Council launched a new awards program aimed at recognising excellence in architecture and design in the local area. Nominations for the awards opened in November after the Council approved the idea in October. They are open to homeowners, architects or other consultants in the categories of heritage design, contemporary design, dwelling house design, sustainable building design and a ‘people’s choice’ award. The awards, which will be announced in April next year, are aimed at new buildings and developments in the local area that ‘support and enrich Ku-ring-gai’s quality built environment’.

Lindfield Community Hub During this period intensive work was completed on the proposal to the NSW Office of Local Government (OLG) for a public-

The Council won a national award for its design of the Turramurra Community Hub in October

private-partnership (PPP) to construct the Lindfield Community Hub, located on the western side of the Lindfield Town Centre at an estimated construction cost of over $120 million. The 1.3 hectare site will be a new mixed use precinct with community buildings, boutique shops, cafes, restaurants, apartments and a below-ground supermarket. Draft EOI documents were submitted to the OLG on 23 August and the OLG Project Review Committee met on 26 August to assess the Council submission. Council submitted a further response to OLG on 23 September and is awaiting feedback on this. During this quarter Council continued negotiations with TfNSW for funding of 140 commuter car parking spaces to be located within the basement level of the proposed community hub building. Discussions were also held with the RMS concerning traffic management issues and solutions in the vicinity of the Hub.

Lindfield Village Green The preferred design concept was further developed and refined, taking into account community feedback as well as project objectives and scope, functionality and budget. Council adopted the final design on 23 August 2016. Work is currently proceeding to submit a development application in late 2016 with construction planned to commence early 2018.

259-271 Pacific Highway Lindfield (Lindfield Library) Following public consultation and a public hearing, the Council resolved to reclassify the land on 6 September 2016 from community to operational. Subsequently, the planning proposal to amend the Ku-ring-gai Local Environmental Plan was submitted to the NSW Department of Planning & Environment for gazettal.

Turramurra Community Hub The Turramurra Community Hub Masterplan won the 2016 national award for Urban Design, Policies, Programs and Concepts – Large Scale. Thirty-seven entries from across Australia were shortlisted in the awards, with the overall winners announced on Thursday 13 October. The Australian Urban Design Awards are convened by the Planning Institute of Australia, supported by nine peak bodies including the Australian

Institute of Architects, the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects and the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council. The Hub, designed by the Council’s strategic planning team and Sydney architects CHROFI, aims to revitalise the centre of Turramurra around the Ray Street area. The design comprises a new local library, multi-purpose community centre, new park, town square, with significant public domain works throughout. The Hub will also incorporate new alfresco dining areas and residential buildings as part of the overall masterplan.

North Turramurra Recreation Area Work is now complete on the turf and synthetic sports fields. The synthetic field is awaiting FIFA certification but expected to be open for play by the end of this year. The turf fields will not be open until the main car park is completed. This will also allow the turf to be better established over the summer period. Work got underway on a temporary car park to allow for overflow parking. The design for the main sports field car park is now complete and tenders will be called in early November for the construction of the car park. The construction of the car park is likely to start early next year and open by around May 2017. Work on the amenities building is progressing and scheduled for completion in February 2017. The golf course is now well established and attracting higher visitor numbers due to its 18 hole championship layout.

Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden During this period the Garden’s ranger-led programs included a total of 22 Bush Kids school holiday programs, 34 Bush Birthday Parties, ten Toddlers & Tadpoles weekday playgroups and ten Junior Rangers Club sessions. During the cooler months Campfire and Spotlight Walk birthday parties were particularly popular. Junior Rangers Club ran a successful season with 25 full-term participants. Toddlers & Tadpoles, however, was affected by wet and cold weather meaning that numbers were down compared with previous quarters. Wildflower Garden rangers delivered 12 school excursions with 707 students plus accompanying adults. Among other activities, many participants were involved in a program of bush regeneration with weed removal alongside an area of endangered Coastal Upland Swamp. Ku-ring-gai Council

The refurbished Caleys function centre at the Wildflower Garden now caters for a variety of events including weddings

An Aboriginal Art and Culture Day featuring Walangari and Life Amongst the Garigal People led by Karen Smith were presented in July as part of the Winter Bush Kids Program. An Aboriginal and Culture Day was also held and fully booked. Advertising and promotion for the use of Caley’s Pavilion continued through Facebook and email campaigns, promotions with the Bush Telegraph and Hornsby Ku-ring–gai Visitors Guide, on St Ives Precinct website, brochures, flyers and recommendations from clients and staff operating the Wildflower Garden Visitor Centre. The following functions were held during the July – September quarter: ■ Wedding Anniversary x 1

■ Weddings x 2

■ Birthday Parties x 3

■ Memorials x 2

■ Meetings x 3

■ Baptism x 1

■ Morning Tea x 1

■ Bar Mitzvah x 1

■ Spotlight Walk x 1 ■ 2xWeekly Hirer: Spiritual Assembly of Bahais ■ Fred Watson Tour – Astronomy Show x 1

St Ives Tourism Precinct The St Ives Medieval Faire was held during the weekend of 24 and 25 September. Strong bookings were evident with over 2000 pre-booked tickets sold. Fine weather contributed to the highest attendance levels for the third year of the Faire – in excess of 15,000. This year Fox Sports televised the jousting tournament and have indicated they are interested in doing so again in 2017. International media coverage for the event was also obtained.

Preparations were completed to relocate the Council’s plant nursery to the Wildflower Garden in September, as part of the long term planning for the new education centre. As part of the Wildflower Festival in August up to $5000 in prize money was offered in June to artists and sculptors to produce environmentally friendly artworks made from recycled materials as part of a temporary sculpture walk during the Festival. Over 2000 people attended the Festival held in August. Concept plans for a major new regional playground at St Ives Showground were in development during this period. This additional play area will be an inclusive and large play space for the Showground, in response to increasing population growth and visitor numbers. Funding for the playground upgrade has been assisted by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment through the Metropolitan Greenspace Grant Program. Public consultation on the concept plans will be conducted during October and November. Ecoline Pty Ltd was chosen through a tender process to develop a high ropes course at the Showground. Ecoline already manages high ropes courses at Western Sydney Parklands, Ourimbah State Forest and Taronga Zoo and is one of the leading providers in Australia. The system is unique in that courses are established in environmentally sensitive areas and the public experience the challenge of rope activity but are also educated to respect the bush environment. The course design will include around nine courses ranging from easy to challenging, including a rollercoaster zip line and is expected to be installed by early 2017.

During the past three months the precinct has hosted major regional events as follows: ■ Colour Festival (an Indian based dance party format) attended by 4000 people ■ OXFAM Trail Walker Event 4000 people ■ Orchid Society Festival 5000 people ■ The Miss Muddy fun run raising funds for the McGrath Foundation. 10

A snapshot of our acheivements | July - November 2016

This year’s St Ives Medieval Faire was the biggest yet

Koola Park Killara

Other upgrades

Construction of the major upgrade at the park in Koola Avenue in East Killara was nearing completion . The works are part of planned improvements for the park outlined in the Koola Park Landscape Masterplan. The stages of the work almost complete are:

During this quarter the expected completion date of September for the Howson Oval upgrade was not met for a number of reasons. These include wet weather, failure of newly laid turf to grow and contractual difficulties. The Council has now negotiated an agreement to have the contractor complete the works by December.

■ Expanding existing three sportsfields to add an additional fourth field ■ Additional car parking including a drop-off area ■ Field floodlighting ■ Landscaping and improved fencing ■ A shared pathway around the perimeter of the park for cyclists and pedestrians, with outdoor exercise equipment stations.

Work was nearing completion on the Lofberg and Golden Jubilee playground upgrades. During this period outdoor staff also completed a makeover to the ‘Secret Garden’ at Gordon Library. New sandstone coping and tiles were installed and the outdoor mosaic cleaned and resurfaced.

Cameron Park Turramurra Construction was delayed on the extension of the park due to remediation of contaminated soil and the contractor appointed by Council going into administration. Quotations were sought from various contractors and the works are planned to be completed by December 2016.

Carcoola Park St Ives Construction on the major upgrade to this park commenced in July and is on track for completion by December 2016. New inclusions are a perimeter path as well as natural play spaces and trails. Play equipment includes embankment slides, traditional swings, a pod swing, see saw, accessible roundabout, a toddler spinner, playhouse and a variety of climbing and balancing equipment. A picnic shelter, drinking fountain and seating will also be installed.

New park at Turramurra Planning continued for the park at the corner of Allan Avenue, Holmes Street and Duff Street in Turramurra. The park is approximately 2,700m2 in area and classified as a local park within Council’s Open Space network. Construction of the park is proposed for the 2017/18 financial year. Community feedback on the park’s design and equipment was collated during this period and will be incorporated into a final design to be presented to the Council before the end of the year.

The Secret Garden next to Gordon Library received a makeover during September, images above show berfore and after

Roseville Chase Community Hall

Sportsfield management

Major building and roofing upgrades to the multi-purpose community hall were completed in October at a cost of $279,000.

Council is in early discussions with Ku-ring-gai High School and St Ives High School in developing concept plans for both sites for sport and recreation. The partnership is looking at ways of providing indoor facilities and additional sporting facilities for the use of both the schools and the community outside of school hours.

The upgrades included the replacement of the lower and upper roof, guttering, stormwater and drainage system and landscaping. New skylights, windows and energy efficient LED fittings have been fitted, significantly improving the lighting quality in the hall. New ceilings in the entry foyer and veranda areas have also been installed, as well as energy efficient air-conditioning units. The building has been freshly painted inside and out.

An act of vandalism in the popular Allan Small Oval in East Killara in August resulted in up to $10,000 damage and its temporary closure while repairs were completed.

Ku-ring-gai Council

A SNAPSHOT OF OUR ACHIEVEMENTS

THEME 4 A C C ES S , T R A F F I C & T R A N S P O R T Access and connection to, from and within Ku-ring-gai provides safe, reliable and affordable public and private travel, transport and infrastructure. Cycling New bicycle parking facilities are being incorporated into key Council projects which are in various stages of detailed and concept design. They include St Ives Chase shops (Warrimoo Ave), Lindfield Village Green, Lindfield Community Hub and Turramurra Community Hub. The annual Ride2Work event for cycling commuters was held in October. This event takes the form of a breakfast, giveaways and free safety checks at Gordon Recreational Reserve for those choosing to ride to work on the day.

Roads, drainage & footpaths An upgrade to the bridge on Lady Game Drive West Lindfield commenced during this period. As the bridge spans both Kuring-gai and Willoughby, a joint application that was successful was made to the RMS under the Block grant program for partial funding. The objective of the improvements are to improve road safety for all road and pedestrian users and extend the life of the bridge through repairs and upgrades to the guardrail, balustrade, concrete and pruning of vegetation overhanging the bridge, as well as minor footpath repairs. These improvements will be completed by December 2016. The overall Council capital works program for roads, drains and footpaths was delivered on target during this period. The pedestrian bridge near Lekberg Oval was identified as needing renewal. Car parks are under ongoing assessment, with upgrades focussed on resurfacing and line marking improvements.

Boat trailer parking In June the Council voted to seek approval from the NSW Office of Local Government to enact new legislation affecting boat trailer parking in Ku-ring-gai. Under the new rules however, boat trailers are now permitted to park for a maximum of 28 days on the street before they must be moved or parked on private property. Community consultation on the issue was carried out during June and July and the Council adopted the policy in September for implementation by February 2017. Work has commenced on a community awareness program to be carried out early in 2017. 12

A snapshot of our acheivements | July - November 2016

Once again the Council hosted a successful Ride 2 Work breakfast event for cycling commuters

Public transport Council staff continued to consult with Transport for NSW on key projects to improve public transport access and connections. Following enquiries from residents regarding the potential for lift access at Killara Station, Transport for NSW was contacted to check if any upgrades are imminent. Transport for NSW advised that Killara Station was not in the current list of projects to be delivered under the Transport Access Program, but indicated it will continue to be considered as part of the programâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prioritisation process. Negotiations regarding the proposed commuter car parking in the Lindfield Village Green and Lindfield Community Hub sites also continued. During this quarter a new fleet of double-decker buses and public transport routes was announced by the NSW Government, which includes improvements to Macquarie Park services. This specifically relates to enhanced services on the 197 route (Mona Vale to Macquarie, Park via Terrey Hills and Gordon) operated by Forest Coach Lines.

Photo by James Vodicka

Wahroonga Shopping Village

Transport planning Transport analysis and assessment of the Turramurra Community Hub was completed during the quarter. This incorporates the traffic and transport improvements identified in the Ku-ring-gai Contributions Plan 2010, as well as other improvements and refinements to increase transport accessibility. The analysis was reported to Council on 6 September 2016 but was deferred for a further briefing of Councillors.

A consultant was engaged to develop an interactive Transport Access Guide for specific schools to encourage alternative modes of transport. The development of the guide during this quarter focused primarily on mapping safe walking distances to schools as well as other transport features, such as pedestrian crossing facilities. The guides are expected to be completed by early 2017.

The design for the proposed roundabout at the intersection of Henry Street and the railway underpass road is effectively complete but awaiting lighting designs to be finalised by Ausgrid before proceeding. A design consultant was appointed to coordinate and progress the design of the Dumaresq St-Moree St road link, as there are a number of approved and pending development applications adjacent to the road that require pedestrian and vehicle access to the road link. The detailed design for the Lindfield Village Green Project commenced and the proposed traffic signals at the intersection of Lindfield Avenue and Tryon Road were integrated into the design. Modifications to the intersection of Pacific Highway and Balfour Street/Havilah Road were considered and new traffic signals at the intersection of Pacific Highway and Strickland Avenue. Also included as part of the design were a shared pedestrian/bicycle facility on Kochia Lane between Milray Street and Lindfield Avenue and potentially a separated twoway cycleway on Lindfield Avenue between Havilah Road and Russell Avenue. Work began on the development of a draft Car Share Vehicle Policy. As work on the policy progresses, there will be checks to ensure its consistency with the Integrated Transport Strategy.

Traffic management negotiations for the Lindfield Community Hub are continuing with RMS Ku-ring-gai Council

A SNAPSHOT OF OUR ACHIEVEMENTS

THEME 5 LO C A L E C O N O M Y & E M P LO Y M E N T Creating economic employment opportunities through vital, attractive centres, business innovation and technology.

Small business events The Council hosted a free seminar in July for local business people wanting to boost their business growth. The free seminar was another in a series of workshops and presentations aimed at businesspeople in the Ku-ring-gai area. James Sneddon from BizPartner was guest speaker and spoke on a range of solutions to small business challenges. Nearly 90 people attended another free presentation in September on social networking for businesses with social media Heather Porter. As part of the Councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s charter to be a small business friendly council, a problem solving brainstorming event was held at Gordon Library in early November, where small business people could drop in and share a problem with their peers to try and obtain a solution. Also in November the Council hosted a discussion forum with two guest speakers on the power of collaboration in business. Around 50 local business people attended.

Business liaison Council regularly communicated with the business communities in Lindfield to outline plans for Lindfield Village Green and to hear business feedback on the final concept plans. Council staff also attended a face to face coffee session in Lindfield to meet with local business to discuss the projects, answer questions and capture feedback.

Business Forum in November on the power of collaboration 14

A snapshot of our acheivements | July - November 2016

Regular updates were also given to local business chambers and business groups to keep them informed about local centre upgrades. Council regularly communicates with the business community via the monthly Ku-ring-gai Business Connections E-newsletter. This has resulted in a 29% increase in subscriber numbers from 361 on 1 July 2016 to 464 on 30 September 2016.

Digital services The Councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s innovative mapping system went live on 5 September. Developed through the Geocortex system, the mapping tool provides a wealth of information about properties in Ku-ring-gai, including zoning, historical records and other property-based information. At present the system can be accessed via a web browser but plans are underway to develop a smart device interface. The mapping system can be accessed via www.kmc.nsw.gov.au During this quarter work continued on developing a suite of applications and permits that will be available to residents online. These include Driveway Levels, Minor Heritage Works, Pre Complying Developments, Pre DA Applications and applications for Hoardings and Barricades. Geographical and Property & Rating databases were updated as a result of 13 new registered plans at NSW Land and Property Information which resulted in the creation of 18 new properties and 175 new residential units.

A SNAPSHOT OF OUR ACHIEVEMENTS

THEME 6 LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE Ku-ring-gai is well led, managed and supported by ethical organisations which deliver projects and services to the community by listening, advocating and responding to their needs. Smoking ban In September the Council adopted a ban on smoking in outdoor public spaces such as playgrounds, sportsfields and parks. This followed public consultation on the issue during June and July, showing more than 80% community support for such a ban.

No smoking signs are being installed in Ku-ring-gai’s parks and sports fields

Implementation of the ban will be conducted through community education and strategically placed signage in coming months.

Fit for the Future Justice Moore of the Land & Environment Court handed down his decision on the Council’s case against a forced merger with Hornsby Council in September, declining to make orders that would prevent the merger from occurring. Under delegated authority from the Council an appeal was lodged by the General Manager in the Court of Appeal. The Council is awaiting a date for the appeal to be heard, expected to be made known in a directions hearing on 23 November.

Community Strategic Plan reporting During this quarter reporting on the Community Strategic Plan and the 2015/2016 Operational Plan was presented to Council on 23 August. That report advised Council that: ■ 6 tasks could not be progressed due to factors outside Council’s control while 85% (211) of the remaining 247 tasks were completed. ■ 2 Critical Actions (four year) could not be satisfactorily progressed during 2015-2016 due to factors outside Council’s control, while 84% (102) of the remaining 122 four year critical actions progressing to schedule. ■ 81% (56) of the 69 term achievements were progressing to schedule at the end of the year with 19% (13) estimated to be behind schedule due to delays or deferral of contributing tasks and critical actions.

■ 82% (64) of the 78 performance indicators for the bi-annual report achieved their yearly targets in this period. The report and accompanying report document are available on Council’s website at www.kmc.nsw.gov.au .

Staff professional development In anticipation of the potential merger with Hornsby Council, eleven Organisational Resilience workshops were delivered across Council in September with attendance by 320 employees.

Communication with the community During this period a draft media and communications policy and community consultation policy were developed and adopted for public exhibition until 21 October. Public use of the Council’s website continued to steadily increase. The most popular web pages were the home page; the library pages, DA tracking, what’s on, contact us and waste & recycling. A new method for managing complaints received via social media was developed in consultation with the customer service team.

Volunteer management Training was provided to volunteers and volunteer coordinators from Hornsby and Ku-ring-gai. Training was offered in ‘Improving skills in recognising and responding to the abuse of older people’, the Commonwealth Home Support Program and the My Aged Care government web portal. Council recreational staff participated in training provided by Sports Community. The webinar series aims to provide staff with valuable information to assist volunteers to run sporting clubs or associations successfully. Over the past three months topics of ‘Successful Committees’, ‘Goal Setting’, ‘Creating a Culture of Volunteering’, and ‘Minimising Committee Conflict’ have been addressed. The outcomes of the training will be shared with the sporting club volunteers that drive grass roots sport in Ku-ring-gai.

Ku-ring-gai Council

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818 Pacific Highway, Gordon NSW 2072 | Locked Bag 1006, Gordon NSW 2072 P 02 9424 0000 | F 02 9424 0001 | E kmc@kmc.nsw.gov.au | www.kmc.nsw.gov.au