Penrith Council Community Newsletter

The official newsletter of Penrith City Council October 2016 edition

Penrith City Council - Community Newsletter Âť Friday, October 7, 2016

PENRITH CITY COMMUNITY NEWS

Indulge in mindful living through an exciting line-up of river, environment, art and lifestyle activities.

realfestival.com.au #PenrithRealFest Penrith Civic Centre 601 High Street, Penrith

Queen Street Customer Service Centre 207-209 Queen Street, St Marys

Ph: 4732 7777 Fax: 4732 7958 Email: council@penrithcity.nsw.gov.au penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

/penrith.city.council /penrithcouncil /penrithcitycouncil /penrithcitycouncil

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Friday, October 7, 2016 « Penrith City Council - Community Newsletter

YOUR COUNCILLORS South Ward Jim Aitken OAM Mark Davies Joshua Hoole Karen McKeown Kath Presdee East Ward Bernard Bratusa Todd Carney Greg Davies Tricia Hitchen – DEPUTY MAYOR Ben Price North Ward Marcus Cornish Kevin Crameri OAM Aaron Duke Ross Fowler OAM John Thain - MAYOR Karen McKeown To contact 4732 7633 a councillor please call 4732 7633.

You can stay up to date with Council news and events by following Council on twitter and liking Council’s page on facebook.

MAYOR’S MESSAGE It is an honour to again represent Penrith as Mayor. I have served as Mayor previously (2005-06) and Deputy Mayor (2004-05) and I am proud to be elected as Mayor in a time when our City has in place several strategies to encourage investment and deliver real opportunities.

I acknowledge and thank Councillor Karen McKeown for her service over the past 12 months and the many achievements Council and the City have gained for our residents. I would also like to welcome new Councillors Todd Carney, Aaron Duke, Joshua Hoole and Ben Price as well as Kath Presdee who returns after serving on Council between 2008-12.

Penrith is a growth city with unlimited potential and we are well placed to meet the challenges ahead. Those who know our City, love Penrith, but we can’t afford to rest on our laurels. We need to make the most of every opportunity, act strategically and work collaboratively to achieve our vision.

Recently the Australian and NSW Governments released the Western Sydney Rails Needs Study as they look towards investing in transport infrastructure in Western Sydney. Penrith Council has long been an advocate for this infrastructure to connect outer Western Sydney in the North and South via the airport. This will activate new employment hubs and create significantly more jobs than an airport alone.

I encourage you to look at the study and the

RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE CRITICAL TO CREATE JOBS OF THE FUTURE

discussion paper to ensure our collective voices are heard in gaining the best outcomes for the people of Penrith and Western Sydney.

made strides with the popular ‘By the River’ series of events which includes Music by the River, Sunday Siestas and Cinema in the Park.

I’m excited by the upcoming Real Festival which will transform the Nepean River and riverbank over two days - the 4th and 5th of November. This is a new event for Penrith, but what’s not new is Council’s desire to activate this natural space for people to explore and enjoy. Thankyou to sponsors JK Williams and Busways.

We look forward to delivering this innovative event for our community, to welcoming new visitors to the region and showcasing our beautiful Nepean River throughout the event. And like the river, we believe that over time the Real Festival will become part of Penrith’s identity.

This was highlighted in Council’s ‘Our River’ Masterplan and the Destination Management Plan for Penrith. Council has

Cr John Thain Penrith City Mayor

GET SNAPPING IN OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PHOTO COMPETITION

Imagine a future with more than 60,000 new jobs within 30 minutes reach from your home. A new rail line north to south across Penrith offers the best chance for this to be achieved.

Critical planning is occurring now for the land between St Marys and Oran Park - which has been substantially designated as employment land. If rail is not included in this new urban area then Penrith residents are in danger of missing out on this potential job growth opportunity.

‘Sunset” – by Dong Vuong, winner of last year’s Penrith Environmental Photography Competition Open category.

Western Sydney residents are being encouraged to let the Australian and State governments know that they demand rail infrastructure to develop these much needed jobs of the future.

A ‘Western Sydney Rail Needs’ discussion paper was released for public comment by the State and Federal governments in September. The paper outlines several options for rail improvements within the Sydney basin.

Penrith Council will make a submission to support the case for rail infrastructure being provided as soon as possible in this new employment area.

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Places with good public transportation are places with a high number of jobs.

Are you a talented local amateur photographer with an interest in helping the environment? This is your chance to make a difference and win a share in $1300 of prizes by entering Council’s 2016 Penrith Environmental Photography Competition - themed “Water - Life - Growth”.

Rail changes everything – a north/south rail link is not just an option for a future airport, it presents the opportunity to develop the Western Sydney Employment Area and create jobs of the future.

Submissions close on Friday 28 October, 2016. Information is available at www. westernsydneyrail.transport.nsw.gov.au

Held each year to celebrate Biodiversity Month and National Water Week, the competition highlights the importance of protecting our precious natural environment.

Submit your image capturing what this year’s theme means to you and you could be in the running to win a prize from one of three categories: Kids

(under 12), Youth (12-18 years) and Open (over 18 years). The competition is open to all Penrith City residents and entries close on 19 October 2016. Winners will be announced and prizes presented at a ceremony later this year.

Get outdoors, discover our local waterways and learn about biodiversity... and if you need to brush up on your photographic skills, you can attend our free photography workshop on Saturday 15 October to learn valuable tips. Hurry to register as places are limited.

See Council’s website for the competition terms and conditions and entry form.

Council now provides e-waste drop off bins at our Penrith, St Marys and St Clair Libraries and at St Clair Leisure Centre.

These bins accept household batteries, mobile phones, CDs, DVDs and light bulbs. Since installed in November 2015, 268kg of batteries, 36kg of mobile phones, 78kg of CDs and DVDs and 23kg of light bulbs have been dropped off for recycling.

Penrith City Council - Community Newsletter » Friday, October 7, 2016

WHERE TO TAKE YOUR ELECTRONIC WASTE and electronic games can be dropped off at one of our E-Waste Drop Off Days at Jamison Park, held each March and September.

To receive a reminder for the event please download Council’s smartphone app “Penrith Waste Champion”.

Larger electronic waste like small kitchen appliances, computers, televisions, home office equipment, power tools

PENRITH WASTE CHAMPION APP Are you one of the 4000 people already using our waste champion app to help you make the most of our waste services? It provides handy reminders each week about what bins to put out, as well as notifications about major waste events like the Chemical

CleanOut, Electronic Waste Drop Off Days and extra Christmas collections. You can search for information about different waste and recycling items to see what bin they should go in. You can also check how to book a kerbside cleanup or who to contact

with your waste questions.

To download the App go to the App Store or Google Playstore and search for Penrith Waste Champion.

REFLECTING ON OUR ACHIEVEMENTS DID YOU KNOW?...

COUNCIL MANAGES AND MAINTAINS: • more than 1,250 hectares of open space • more than 293 buildings, ranging from public amenities and sporting facilities to swimming pools and cultural centres.

• 105 sporting facilities plus St Marys and Penrith Ripples Leisure Centres, Penrith Whitewater Centre and St Clair Recreation Centre • Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre • 402 parks • 142 playground sites • 775,000m2 of landscaping and gardens • 45 hectares of natural areas maintained, and coordination of 11 volunteer bush care groups • 51 community facilities • 3 central and branch libraries • 3 operational cemeteries and 2 heritage cemeteries • 28 public toilet blocks • 11 State Emergency Services and Rural Fire Service sheds • approximately 1,080 km of road, 620 km of footpaths, 1,510 km of kerb and gutter and 162 car parks • 98 bridges, 204 bus shelters • 1,041 items of road furniture • shops, offices and residential property • 7 theatres and galleries • 26 Children’s Centres offering long day care, preschool, before and after school care, vacation care and occasional care services for children.

The last Council meeting before the local government elections was an opportunity for the outgoing Council to reflect on achievements over the last four years. Just a few of the highlights include:

PLACES AND SPACES • new City-wide planning controls (Penrith Local Environmental Plan 2010 and Penrith Development Control Plan 2014) • $6.3 million invested in 82 separate projects to improve and maintain our community buildings • rejuvenation of 278,000m2 and resurfacing / reconstruction of 626,000m2 of road surface • almost 6,000 development applications determined worth almost $3 billion, representing a total impact of nearly $5.2 billion to the local economy.

• 47km of footpaths, cycleways and shared pathways laid over the past four years by Council and developers • 37 new playgrounds with 16 artificial shade structures

• major upgrades to Jamison Park including reconstructing 4 playing fields, building 5 new netball courts, a large new outdoor fitness area, and new shade and playground facilities • transformation of the popular Mondo space between Westfield Penrith, the Joan and the Civic Centre • creation of the award-winning Triangle (‘pop up’) Park by closing the end of High street and installing grass, trees and seating over the top which has hosted numerous community events.

• adoption of the Our River Masterplan to develop a coordinated, long term plan to protect and maximise community benefits from public open space along the River • adoption of a Sustainability Policy and Strategy to ensure sustainability is effectively built into all Council’s operations, activities and decision making processes • adoption of a Cooling the City Strategy • major court upgrades at Woodriff Gardens Tennis Complex, enabling Penrith to host major tennis events

such as the NSW State Series Tournament

PLACES AND EVENTS • 312 Council-run events that honoured, rewarded, recognised or launched an individual/organisation, Council facility or project, including conferring citizenship on 2,446 new Australian citizens.

• significant historical milestones for our City, each commemorated with a series of popular community events: Bicentenary of the crossing of the Blue Mountains (2013); Bicentenary of the building of the Great Western Road (2014) and Centenary of Australians at War and Penrith Bicentenary (2015).

• more than 100 community assistance grants awarded to organisations across the City to support projects that enhance community wellbeing • 272 local residents employed through our traineeship program • financial assistance provided to nearly 400 local residents selected to represent Australia or NSW in sport, art or culture

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Friday, October 7, 2016 ÂŤ Penrith City Council - Community Newsletter

TENCH RESERVE, NEPEAN RIVER See the Nepean River come to life with an exciting program of River, Environment, Art and Lifestyle activities at the inaugural Real Festival from 4-5 November.

The Real Festival is a celebration of food, music, art, sustainable and healthy living and an opportunity to experience and enjoy the Nepean River like never before.

Unwind and enjoy the food trucks, musical performances, interactive and illuminated art installations on the Friday evening.

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Come back on Saturday and be inspired to look after the environment AND YOUR HEALTH WITH OUTDOOR lTNESS classes, river activities, wildlife tours, sustainable living workshops, cooking demonstrations and markets.

Kids will be kept engaged and entertained across both days, with fun activities and experiences to suit all ages.

5 NOVEMBER Connect to the river through lifestyle, recreation and environmental activities...

» »

Friday

4 NOVEMBER Watch the riverbank come to life as the sun sets behind the mountains...

» » » »

Food trucks and outdoor dining

Penrith City Council - Community Newsletter » Friday, October 7, 2016

Saturday

Wildlife and bush tucker tours Photography workshop and outdoor art

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Fitness activities: body balance, zumba and boot camp

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River activities: paddleboarding, kayaking and dragon boating

» »

Food trucks and artisan markets Cooking demonstrations, and nutrition talk by Susie Burrell

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Kids activities including ABC2’s Dirt Girl World

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Gardening workshop with ABC’s Costa Georgiadis

Plus much more...

Some activities require pre-registration.

Head to the website to secure your spot.

Illuminated and interactive art displays Musical and Aboriginal performances Kids activities and entertainment

Limited parking. Plan ahead and take the BUSWAYS park & ride shuttle.

Visit the website to learn more, register for an activity and download the full event program.

realfestival.com.au E

Friday, October 7, 2016 « Penrith City Council - Community Newsletter

COUNCIL SUPPORTS LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS Council has awarded more than $30,000 to 33 local non-profit community groups in our 2016-17 Community Assistance Program.

Residents around the City will benefit from the funded projects which include: • Children’s resources for Rooby’s Koori REaDing Corner • ‘No Boundaries’ Art open day for International Day of People with Disabilities • Birth and pamper packs for young parents • Technology equipment for the Penrith City Garden Club • Equipment for outdoor cinema events at North St Marys, St Marys and North Penrith • Portable sewing machines for the Caring Hearts Community Quilters • Penrith Community Kitchen’s Christmas Lunch • Street Care project for people at risk of homelessness • Recording equipment for Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy program • Supplies for the Nepean Men’s Shed and St Clair and District Men’s Shed • Promotional material for residents group ‘Team Colyton’ Council understands how challenging it can be for local hobby, volunteering and community groups to find those extra bits and pieces that go a long way to getting worthwhile ideas off the ground. The Community Assistance Program has been running for 22 years and Council is proud of the wide range of cultural, education and health based initiatives it has helped sustain, to directly benefit many local residents.

The MMCreative team with their improved bush shelter design along with former Mayor Karen McKeown. This design won the Climate Adapted People Shelters design competition, and will be trialled in Penrith.

COUNCIL CONTINUES TO COOL THE CITY With summer approaching, it’s a good time to let our community know about Council’s achievements since adopting our Cooling the City Strategy. The Strategy is being delivered through a range of activities and projects, including: One Tree Per Child This international program is being rolled out in Penrith via local childcare centres. The first stage saw 1,500 plants given to local families in June, with another 1,500 plants distributed in September, and 69 trees were also planted at Council’s childcare centres to provide shade and amenity. The childcare centres are receiving teaching materials to help staff explore the value of trees to people and the environment with the children.

Tree Giveaways Council has been actively promoting the Cooling the City Strategy through

Whether you’re currently completing your HSC, looking to change careers or returning to the workforce, Council’s award winning 12 month traineeship program offers a great opportunity to kick start a career in business administration, childcare or information technology.

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Urban Design We’re working to provide public spaces that are more suited to our local climate.

This includes approaches like more shade and providing splash pads to help people cool off, as seen in the plans exhibited for community feedback as part of our work on the Triangle Park.

Bus Shelter designs Council has received $80,000 in grant funding from the NSW Government under the Building Resilience to Climate Change program in a partnership project with the Institute for Sustainable Futures (UTS) and other Western Sydney councils. The project is based around a design competition for a bus shelter which is comfortable year round for our climate. Planning is now underway

Tree Planting Council has planted around 4000 trees over the past year, including those planted in partnership with schools as part of the Bushcare Education Program, National Tree Day, Trees for Mum and other initiatives.

Under the Federal Government’s 20 Million Trees Program Council has received funding of around $605,000 to plant 96,000 trees and shrubs in South Penrith, and another 3000 in Bunyarra Drive reserve at Emu Plains. These will provide much-needed shade and make open spaces more appealing for people and native animals and birds.

Tree Inventory We have undertaken an inventory of street trees in some of our most heat vulnerable areas to give us a better understanding of these important assets. Vacant or ‘opportunity sites’ were also identified and this will inform future planning for street tree planting programs in these areas.

WANT TO BE PAID TO STUDY, WHILE GAINING REAL EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS?

A special presentation event was held on Thursday 22 September to celebrate the enormous contribution the successful organisations make to the social and cultural fabric of our City.

2015 NAIDOC Day with Ruby Roo – just one of the projects funded.

giveaways of more than 1,000 plants at recent events including NAIDOC Day celebrations and World Environment Day.

to build the winning design on Derby Street outside Nepean Hospital.

Applications are now open for 42 traineeship positions across Council departments and services including finance, city planning, the library and childcare. Visit the Careers page on our website to apply.

Applications close on 6 November 2016

and trainees will start work in January 2017.

Our Business Administration trainees carry out general office duties and tasks specific to their department - Finance, Human Resources, Development and Environmental Health, Recreation, City Works, Library Services, City Planning or Public Domain Amenity & Safety.

Children’s Services trainees work with a team of experienced Children’s Services staff. Council has 26 childcare facilities catering for 3000 children each year.

Our services include long day care, preschool and programs for school age children up to 12.

Our Information Technology trainees gain valuable skills and diverse handson experience as part of a small team supporting Council’s 1200 staff across various locations.

To be eligible to apply you must be currently completing your HSC or be a mature age (over 18) applicant. You must not have completed a Certificate III or higher in any field within the last 7 years.

For more information contact the Traineeship Coordinator on 4732 7694 or 4732 7596.

DOWN YOUR WAY

Participants at a Disability Inclusion Action Plan community consultation focus group.

INVESTING IN OUR PLAYGROUNDS Council continues working to improve playgrounds across the City, with major redevelopments occurring recently at Peppermint Reserve (Kingswood), Grey Gums Oval (Cranebrook), Barr and Bass Reserve (Colyton) and Kevin Dwyer Reserve (Colyton). Council’s asset renewal program and Section 94 Development Contributions have jointly funded these upgrades.

Access for all is an important priority for Council.

options for people with disability was also discussed.

Since March, Council has consulted with more than 100 people through face to face forums, focus groups, and meetings.

More than 90 people have visited our “Have Your Say” website on inclusion and access for people with disabilities across Penrith City.

Getting access to accessible toilets needs to be easier and there is a need for adult change facilities (with table and hoist) in public buildings.

Continuous obstacle free paths are needed, as are more accessible parking and transport options. The desire for inclusive playgrounds, a sensory garden and enhanced access to Council’s website and other information were also expressed.

Council is committed to building a strong and equitable community. We sought input from residents and community partners about ways to make Penrith a better place for everyone living, working and playing here.

A key issue arising from discussions was the need for increased community awareness and positive attitudes to people with disability. Expanding employment and social enterprise

Penrith City Council - Community Newsletter » Friday, October 7, 2016

DISABILITY MATTERS

Council officers will now develop a series of actions and strategies to address these priority concerns. Implementation will assist in overcoming barriers to inclusion and will be incorporated into Council’s strategic planning processes for our next four year program.

PLAYING FIELDS AND COURTS IMPROVED We have carried out other improvement works at Boronia Park (North St Marys) (reconstruction and irrigation), Woodriff Gardens Tennis Courts (new playing surface) and Jamison Park (floodlighting).

Howell Oval has had new irrigation installed, a project managed by Council and co-funded with the Penrith Cricket Club.

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Friday, October 7, 2016 « Penrith City Council - Community Newsletter

PENRITH CITY Everyone is welcome at Council meetings, which are held at the Civic Centre.

Ordinary meetings of Council and Policy Review Committee meetings are held on Monday nights, usually every three weeks.

For meeting times and dates visit our website: penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

WE CAN HELP WITH: • • • • • •

PENRITH CIVIC CENTRE 601 High Street, Penrith

QUEEN STREET CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTRE 207-209 Queen Street, St Marys 4732 7777

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4732 7958 council@penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

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penrithcity.nsw.gov.au /penrith.city.council /penrithcouncil

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Abandoned vehicles Advertising signs Aged Care services Air pollution monitoring Approvals Building applications or inspections Bus shelters Bush Fire Control Cemeteries Certificates (149, 149D, 317A & 603) Children’s Services Citizenship ceremonies Civic functions / community events Clean-up bookings Compost bins Council carparks Council meetings Crossover inspections Development control applications Disability services Dog Catcher / registration / dead dogs & cats on roads Drainage Elections - Local Environmental health Environmental planning Food handling Footpaths

Share your adventure

#visitpenrith

visitpenrith.com.au INTERPRETING ASSISTANCE

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Garbage - new services Graffiti control Hall bookings Home Library services Immunisation Library services Local History Neighbourhood Centres Noise complaints Park bookings Parking control Planning approvals Policy matters Public buildings Publications Rates Recycling RID squad Road construction & maintenance Senior Citizen centres Septic tanks Signs Street cleaning New street lighting Street numbers Sub-division Swimming pool fences Tourism Tree planting or removal Youth services Zoning

If you do not understand the information in this document, please come to the Council and ask staff to arrange interpreter services.