Council News #474 - 2 December 2023

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Wagga Wagga City Council weekly newsletter

Saturday 2 December 2023 | Issue #474

Events & Tourism

Arts & Culture

Ready, Set, Christmas!

WINNERS: Regional Museum Officer Sam Leah, Wiradjuri Elder Aunty Cheryl Penrith, and Museum Education and Public Programs Officer Angus CawdellSmith at the IMAGinE Award ceremony on Wednesday night.

Museum of the Riverina receives state award for RETURN Symposium

FESTIVE SPIRIT: Events Officer Emma Corbett at the trio of stars installed in the Civic Centre forecourt as part of the festive experiences Council has prepared in the city.

‘It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas’ in Wagga Wagga, with Council rolling out its 2023 Christmas program.

This year will showcase festive decorations in the city centre, a Christmas Trail event in our local suburb parks, the release of a brand-new Wagga Wagga Christmas jingle and 12 days of Christmas giveaways to be won.

The Christmas Trail event is set to make a return for 2023, with the community encouraged to save the date for the special activities on the afternoon of Wednesday 6 December.

Council Events Officer Emma Corbett said Council is excited to be bringing the Christmas Trail back to visit local parks at three suburban locations across the city.

“Santa and Mrs Claus will be jingling into Cootamundra Park at Gobbagombalin, Henwood Park in Kooringal and the Wagga Wagga Botanic Gardens in Turvey Park to bring Christmas cheer to the community,” Ms Corbett said.

“We would love to see families dress in their Christmas best, put on their reindeer antlers or Santa hats and head down to their local park so they can meet Santa and Mrs Claus.

“Each location will have free activities

for kids and families to participate in including workshops, bubble play, and interactive performances, and if you’re at the Botanic Gardens, you will also get the chance to meet animals from the Zoo & Aviary.”

The Christmas Trail is just one of many festive experiences Council has prepared in the city, from the merry and bright Christmas flags and decorations in the main street to the trio of stars installed in the Civic Centre forecourt.

The decorations will be on display to the public from 30 November 2023 until 12 January 2024.

Community and visitors can also enjoy the release of a brand-new Wagga Wagga Christmas video celebrating tourism in the city during the festive season. This year's production has been made in collaboration with the Riverina Conservatorium of Music.

“The video features an original Wagga Wagga Christmas themed jingle and highlights landmarks and locations in the city,” Ms Corbett said.

“The Riverina Conservatorium of Music will also play the jingle live at their upcoming ‘Christmas with the Con’ community event at Riverside on Saturday 16 December.”

To round out the festivities, Council will be releasing a new Christmas

Hey Wagga Wagga residents, your input is needed!

giveaway competition, where locals and visitors can enter the draw to win a range of prizes showcasing some of our Wagga Wagga and Surrounds best tourism offerings and experiences. “'Tis the season for giving and this year we want to share a sleigh-load of festive cheer with our locals and visitors,” Ms Corbett said.

"A new interactive ‘Giftmas’ calendar hosted on the Visit Wagga Wagga website will reveal amazing prizes leading up to Christmas. Think indulgent dinners, luxury stays, gifts for the kids and much, much more.”

For further information on the 2023 Christmas program and Christmas Trail events, visit wagga.nsw.gov.au/ waggachristmas

Christmas Trail 3.30pm – 4.15pm Cootamundra Park, Cootamundra Boulevard, Gobbagombalin 4.15pm – 5.00pm Henwood Park, The Boulevard, Kooringal 5.00pm – 5.45pm Wagga Wagga Botanic Gardens, Macleay Street, Turvey Park

The Museum of the Riverina has been awarded a Museums and Galleries of NSW IMAGinE Award for its symposium RETURN: Reconnecting objects and collections with people and places held in Wagga Wagga in June 2023.

At the awards ceremony held at Sydney Modern, Art Gallery of NSW on Wednesday night, the Museum of the Riverina received the award for the Engagement Programs – Medium Organisations category.

RETURN: Reconnecting objects and collections with people and places was a three-day symposium developed in collaboration with the Australian National University that brought together First Nations community members, academics, museum professionals and members of the public.

It explored the return of objects from around the world to the places and communities where they originated and how the future of these types of returns might take shape.

Museum Manager Luke Grealy said this award is testament to the hard work of the Museum of the Riverina team.

“To win the Engagement Programs category is a great thrill and is another major benefit of the museum redevelopment project,” Mr Grealy said.

“The RETURN Symposium brought together Wiradjuri and First Nations people, academics and museum professionals, demonstrating that significant events such as RETURN can be hosted in regional centres.”

In addition to the Engagement Programs award, the Museum of the Riverina received a Highly Commended Award in the Exhibitions Projects Museums and Heritage – Medium organisations category for its semipermanent exhibitions exploring the social history of Wagga Wagga.

“The Highly Commended award was secured amidst very strong competition and is a credit to the Museum team’s curatorial and exhibition design skills,” Luke Grealy said.

Council is presenting two potential projects – both resulting from community feedback – that will provide increased access to arts, entertainment, conferencing and cultural experiences for residents while creating jobs and providing significant economic benefits to the community.

haveyoursay.wagga.nsw.gov.au

Scan to view the options!

Council

JOY OF GIVING: Council’s Manager Library Services Christine Bolton launches the library’s Christmas Food Appeal, which will run through to 21 January 2024.

Give a gift to your community with the Library Christmas Food Appeal The Wagga Wagga City Library is holding its annual Christmas Food Appeal which supports local families and community members who are experiencing financial difficulties this holiday season.

The library is asking the local community to give the gift that gives back to our community by donating non-perishable food, toiletries, and baby needs for those most in need.

The program launches on Friday 1 December 2023 and runs until Saturday 21 January 2024.

This year the library is partnering with the Ashmont Resource Centre, Carevan, and Tolland Community Centre. All donated items will be shared among these organisations to be distributed as required.

Council’s Manager Library Services Christine Bolton says the library team are excited for another year of generous gifting from the community.

“Public libraries promote equality within our communities and keep them connected through a variety of programs and services like the annual Christmas Food Appeal,” Ms Bolton said.

“This program has been a great success year-on-year. Last year, more than 70 boxes of non-perishable items were donated by locals, and we are expecting this year to be no different.”

Donated items will assist families over the Christmas, New Year period who may be experiencing difficulties covering the costs associated with the festive season.

Household staple items are particularly valuable, including canned food, rice and pasta, flour, breakfast cereals and spreads, baby formula, toiletries, feminine products, and long-life milk.

The library is requesting the items donated be well within their use-by dates.

Donations can be dropped in at the library or to a friendly Library Officer at any of the Agile Library sites in suburban and rural villages in our LGA.

WHAT’S

ON

THIS WEEK Wollundry Saturday Markets SAT 2 DEC, 8AM – 1PM

Wagga Wagga Showgrounds, Bourke St. P. 0488 102 835

Nanny Q Community Market SAT 2 DEC, 10AM – 3PM

North Wagga Hall, 76 Hampden Ave. P. 0408 512 628

HAVE YOUR SAY: The community is being encouraged to help shape our play spaces over the next 20 years by giving input on the draft Playground Strategy, before public submissions close on 7 December.

Last days to help shape Council’s Playground Strategy!

There is still time for residents across the Wagga Wagga Local Government Area to have their say on Council’s draft Playground Strategy 2023-2043, with public submissions open until Thursday 7 December.

The strategy will guide all aspects of Council’s playground management in the city and surrounding villages across our local government area for the next 20 years.

Manager Recreation & Economic Development Ben Creighton is encouraging the community take advantage now of the opportunity to provide their input into the process.

“The Playground Strategy will shape the future of how we develop and manage our play spaces over the next two decades,” Mr Creighton said.

“We really want you to get involved by having your say on the draft strategy so we can ensure our play spaces will meet the needs of the community now and into the future.

“The public submission period closes next Thursday (7 December), so if you haven’t submitted it yet, now is the time to have a look at the strategy and give us your feedback.”

The draft strategy includes 16 recommendations covering a range of actions required to be implemented to achieve the aims of the strategy.

This includes six recommendations which directly relate to improving shade coverage at existing playgrounds and ensuring it is integrated in the planning of future play spaces.

Council has 100 playgrounds across the LGA, valued at an excess of $9.5 million and with a combined annual usage of approximately 500,000 visits.

The draft Playground Strategy 20232043 is on exhibition until 7 December 2023 at haveyoursay.wagga.nsw.gov. au You can also view a copy of the draft strategy at the Customer Service desk at the Civic Centre.

Club, 142 Travers St.

Demonstration Gardens – Vegetable P. 6921 2151 Swap or Buy Steve Case Live at SAT 2 DEC, 9AM – 12PM The Curious Rabbit Cnr Shaw St & Albury St. P. 0411 417 956

Wagga Toy Run SAT 2 DEC, 9AM – 12.30PM

Civic Centre, Burns Way. P. 0408 420 766

Open Studio Gallery

SAT 2 DEC, 10AM – 3PM

Art Society Studio, 11 Small St. P. 0413 786 209

Viewco Christmas Party Race Day

SAT 2 DEC, 12PM – 6PM

Murrumbidgee Turf

@cityofwaggawagga

SAT 2 DEC, 6.30PM – 8.30PM

The Curious Rabbit, 44 Johnston St. P. 6921 5391

Saturday Night Roller Disco

SAT 2 DEC, 7PM – 9PM

Bolton Park Stadium, Morgan St. P. 0427 075 600

Downside Bush Dance SAT 2 DEC, 7.30PM – 12AM

Downside Hall, Downside-Shepherds

Siding Rd. P. 0427 042 686

Willans Hill Miniature Railway Rides SUN 3 NOV, 10AM – 2.30PM

Wagga Wagga Botanic Gardens, Macleay St. P. 0412 439 455

Riverina Iris Farm Open Garden and Iris Display

SUN 3 & MON 4 DEC, 10AM – 4PM

Riverina Iris Farm, 13 Sycamore Rd. P. 0432 777 142

Wagga Wagga Christmas Trail WED 6 DEC,

Community KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Australian Paralympian and gold medallist, Brett Stibners, shared his journey with high school students in our Local Government Area on Friday.

Embracing International Day of People with Disability International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) was held on Friday 1 December 2023, with Council supporting community events to help increase public awareness, understanding, and acceptance of people with disability.

This year Council collaborated with Kooringal High School to host keynote speaker Brett Stibners, an Australian Paralympian and Gold medallist.

Students in years 9, 10 and 11 from schools across the Wagga Wagga Local Government Area were invited to Kooringal High School to hear about Stibners’ journey of disability and succeeding in a professional wheelchair basketball career.

Wagga Wagga City Council Community Development Coordinator Alex Osgood says events like this one are aimed at increasing awareness and breaking down stigma of disability.

“Council is extremely proud to be partnering with Kooringal High School to bring Brett’s story to our community. It is a wonderful opportunity for students to challenge the way they think about disability and of course, meet an Australian Paralympic champion!” Alex Osgood said.

“This year, International Day of People with Disability is encouraging people to ‘unite in action to rescue and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals for, with and by persons with disabilities’.

“This theme asks everyone to work collaboratively to make communities better and fairer for people with disability.

By reflecting on the barriers that people living with disability and neurodiversity face we can continue to work towards making Wagga Wagga an accessible and inclusive place to live, work and play.”

There was also a public celebration of International Day of People with Disability at the Riverside Precinct, hosted by Relationships Australia Canberra Region (RACR) and This Is My Brave Australia Inc (TIMBA), supported by Council.

3.30PM – 5.45PM

Various locations.

P. 1300 100 122

Trivia Wednesday – Riverina Hotel WED 6 DEC, 7PM

Riverina Hotel, 188 Fitzmaurice St. P. 6921 2222

Musical Bingo at Tilly’s Wagga WED 6 DEC, 7:30PM – 9:30PM

Tilly’s Wagga, 109 Baylis St. P. 5925 5305

Riverina Producers Market THU 7 DEC, 1PM – 6.30PM

Wagga Wagga Showground, Bourke

St. P. 0488 102 835

Infusion Games Trivia and Karaoke

The terrific Trixie!

This week’s Pet of the Week is ‘Trixie’, a female, blue and white Cattle Dog X who is approximately 12-18 months old. Trixie makes friends with other dogs easily and has lots of energy to burn. She would benefit from a solid training routine and lots of attention.

The adoption cost for Trixie is $357 and includes microchipping, lifetime registration, vaccination, heartworm test, flea & worming treatment, ID tag and desexing.

R251000208

Community

6971 4651

graswagga.com.au

Vacancies Manager Engineering Design Services An attractive remuneration based on skills and experience Closing: Monday, 15 January 2024 gpf = gross salary per fornight Wagga Wagga City Council is an EEO employer

Enquiries: 1300 292 442 To learn more or apply, visit:

wagga.nsw.gov.au/jobs Help shape our future

Have your say Wagga Wagga

haveyoursay.wagga.nsw.gov.au

Road closures MAHER ST-ADJIN ST INTERSECTION Road: Awaba Ave, Adjin St (from Huthwaite St to Maher St) and Maher St (from Martin St to Awaba Ave) Date: Monday 27 November to Friday 8 December, weekdays (weather permitting) Duration: 7am to 5pm Reason: Reseal preparation works Detour: Access for residents maintained

BAYLIS STREET

The Victoria Hotel, 55 Baylis St. P. 6921 5233

Road: Baylis St from Morgan St to Morrow St Date: Saturday 2 December 2023 Duration: 11.45am to 12.30pm Reason: Combined Riders Wagga TOY RUN

Wagga RSL Christmas Party on the Greens

ALL NOTICES NOW ONLINE AT: wagga.nsw.gov.au/publicnotices

THU 7 DEC, 8.30PM

FRI 8 DEC, 5PM – 12AM

Wagga RSL Club, Dobbs St. P. 6923 7200 For event organising and promotion support, contact Council’s events team: events@wagga. nsw.gov.au or 1300 292 442. Mon – Fri. /waggaevents visitwagga.com

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1300 292 442 wagga.nsw.gov.au