ee! e r F ke on Ta
Edition 428
18 September 2017
Oyster Festival absorbed into larger Wyong festival The 17-year-old Ettalong Oyster Festival is to be absorbed into Wyong’s threeyear-old Lakes Festival, which will be rebadged as Central Coast Lakes Festival. Central Coast Council has taken over the event, and it will now become just one of 26 events in the regional festival. “This year we have expanded the Festival to Ettalong and Gosford, giving us more opportunities to activate the waterfronts all over the Central Coast,” said Council’s group leader Ms Julie Vaughan. The Lakes Festival, started by the former Wyong Council, is in its third year. Ms Vaughan said the 2017 festival would include 20 free events from November 10 to 19. She described the Oyster Festival as “a new event hub at
Member for Robertson, Ms Lucy Wicks with Ms Abagail Grimes, Ms Kylie Brown, Ryan Brown, Luke Brown, Mr Bob Walkley and Mr Taylor Martin at the official opening of the new McEvoy Oval amenities building
Ettalong”. “The Lakes Festival is just growing bigger each year and is now a true Coast-wide event,” Ms Vaughan said. “This year we have 26 events designed to activate, educate and celebrate our local waterways across 10 days at seven different locations so there’s certainly something for everyone.” She said the Brisbane Water Oyster Festival had agreed to become part of the Lakes Festival. She said the 10-day festival would feature a full program of sporting, family, cultural, educational and live music events on and surrounding the Central Coast’s waterways including the Ettalong foreshore. SOURCE: Media release, 12 Sep 2017 Julie Vaughan, Central Coast Council
McEvoy oval amenities are officially opened New amenities costing more than $800,000 at McEvoy Oval in Umina have been officially opened. The amenities were jointly funded by Federal, State and local governments, with small contributions being made by local sporting groups. Despite the three levels of government issuing a joint media release, it was left to the Federal Member for Robertson, Ms Lucy Wicks, to officially open the amenities on Friday, September 8. The facility currently supports training and competition for Woy Woy Little Athletics, Peninsula Touch Association and Southern Spirit Cricket Club. The upgrade launch was timed to coincide with the 2017 registration day for the Woy Woy Little Athletics Club. The Federal Government invested $304,000 into the project. The New South Wales Government contributed $225,000 and Central Coast Council $258,430. Woy Woy Peninsula Little Athletics put in $4000, Peninsula Touch Football Association $6000
and Southern Spirit Cricket Club $3000. The joint media statement said the new building was an investment in grassroots sport for the region. Ms Wicks, who said she was a long-term supporter of the project, joined the community for the opening and said the new building included a clubroom, canteen, storage rooms, and male and female amenities. “I’ve been hearing from many local families and organisations on the Peninsula about how the previous amenities building was run-down and unsafe so it’s great to be able to open this new facility for Umina,” Ms Wicks said. “Not only is McEvoy Oval home to over 1500 sporting participants per year, it’s also used by local schools for carnivals and gala days,” she said. “I’m thrilled that this upgrade is now complete, and commend all levels of Government and the hardworking community advocates who’ve made it possible.” In the joint statement, Federal Minister for Regional Development Ms Fiona Nash said: “These great new facilities will benefit both local
sports and the greater community, promoting the growth of Umina and the surrounding areas.” New South Wales Minister for Sport Mr Stuart Ayres said in the statement that the significant joint investment would increase accessibility to the main athletics centre on the Peninsula and ensure it can cater for more teams and players from interstate. “This major investment has also provided an economic boost for the region by creating 10 new jobs, five during construction alone,” Mr Ayres said. “A key component of the upgrade includes installation of a new irrigation system to encourage stronger turf establishment and growth,” said Council administrator Mr Ian Reynolds. “Improved growth results in faster rehabilitation of the playing surface, allowing greater useability of the oval,” Mr Reynolds said. SOURCE: Joint media release, 7 Sep 2017 Tim Sowden, office of Lucy Wicks MP Les White, office of Fiona Nash MP Anna Hindson, office of Stuart Ayres MP Ian Reynolds, Central Coast Council
New Labor councillor for Gosford West, Mr Richard Mehrtens speaks with Peninsula News journalist, Ms Jackie Pearson
Election results and interviews available on video For the first time, Central Coast Newspapers has published comprehensive video news on the results of the Central Coast Council election. You can find it at coastcommunitynews.com.au. The video news wrap-up includes a comprehensive interview with, Mr Richard Mehrtens, Labor’s newly-elected Councillor for the Gosford West Ward. Mr Mehrtens told Peninsula News that he will be one of the most accessible Central Coast
Councillors because he works in the Blackwall Road, Woy Woy, electoral office of the Member for Gosford, Ms Liesl Tesch. Several other Councillors from other wards were also interviewed. Pearl Beach resident and one of the founders of the Community Plan Central Coast movement, Dr Van Davy, also features on the video news wrap-up. This is a first for Peninsula News, Central Coast Newspapers and the Central Coast. SOURCE: Website, 15 Sep 2017 Coastcommunitynews.com.au
THIS ISSUE contains 48 articles - Read more news items for this issue at www.peninsulanews.info Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net