Read the Mayor’s message for updates on new recreational facilities and libraries, development of the ambitious coastal walkway from Manly to Palm Beach and big picture issues that affect the Northern Beaches.
Friday 16 September
The spectacular, new Long Reef Surf Life Saving Club is getting closer to opening.
Soon you’ll be able to use the sparkling new toilets and showers, bike racks, electric BBQs and outdoor showers.
The official opening will be in February when the clubbies finish moving their gear back in – which I know they’re super excited about.
But don’t worry they’ll still be on the sand, keeping everyone safe all summer.
Thank you to all our amazing surf life savers, for giving up your time – especially over the busy festive season. Legends.
We certainly love our open spaces on the Northern Beaches. And this week Council adopted ‘Let’s Play’ – our new open space and outdoor recreation strategy.
We’ve announced 200 actions to improve our open spaces and recreation facilities. From building new playgrounds, to improving cycling facilities, there’s something for everyone.
And a big congratulations must go to One Meal Northern Beaches Co-Op who won NSW Volunteer Team of the Year from the Centre for Volunteering. Amazing recognition for the incredible work you do in our community.
Have fun, stay safe. And have an awesome summer.
Friday 9 December
It’s certainly beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Thanks to everyone who came along to our Christmas Choral Concert in Manly last week – what a great night! You can join us again tonight at Dee Why for our annual Christmas by the Beach concert, with carols, PAW Patrol pups and Santa photos. See you down there.
Young, local artists on the Northern Beaches have a lot to be proud of. When I first became Mayor, I wanted to ensure that Council wasn’t just focused on sport. With so many creatives out there, it was important that the Council provided some support and encouragement for our budding artists. So you can imagine how excited I was to hear this week that Sarah Hiscocks was awarded the Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Young Australian Artist of the Year Award. The Year 11 Mackellar Girls student and pupil of local art school If U Like Art (which is where I first met her a decade ago), received the prestigious prize for her work ‘Rainbow Dragon’, at the 2022 Young Australian Art & Writers’ Awards in Melbourne, hosted by the Children’s Charity Network. Well done, Sarah, what an amazing and inspiring achievement. We celebrate our Sports champions… why not our artists too! Sport and art can co-exist. And you all know I am cricket tragic.
Speaking of artists, have you seen the stunning works in our UNDERWATER! 2022 Photo Competition? Congratulations to all the finalists and winners. The photo comp is just part of the 9-day Ocean Festival, which wraps-up this Sunday with a special event at Q Station celebrating the 40th anniversary of the North Harbour Aquatic Reserve.
Finally, we are devastated to hear of the sudden and tragic passing of legendary jazz musician Andrew Speight, who was a long-time champion of our Manly Jazz festival. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family and friends, including his sister and Manly Jazz Artistic Director, Caroline Speight. Andrew inspired and nurtured so many young artists on the Northern Beaches. His legacy will live on through their music.
Friday 2 December
Copy of video transcript:
This week Council got some great news: for the second year running, we have been recognized as a leadership Council by the Carbon Disclosure Project, a not-for-profit charity that monitors the disclosure of environmental impacts of organizations globally, and also encourages organizations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, safeguard water resources and protect forests. This top rating recognizes our bold leadership on environmental action and climate change.
In other great news, we have received $3 million in funding from the State Government to rebuild the Warringah Recreation Centre at North Manly. Council is also committing an additional $2 million. This $5 million investment will allow us to build a multi-sport facility with indoor squash courts, synthetic tennis courts, accessible amenities, storage, and other facilities that will help the community stay active and enjoy sports into the future.
Now, how did we get to December already? We all love summer, and what comes with it... heaps of events! We're again hosting a huge program across the Beaches, and it all kicked off last night with our Christmas Choral Concert in Manly.
Join us in Dee Why next week for Christmas by the Beach, or check our website for one of the many community carols near you. We will round out the year with traditional fireworks on New Year's Eve.
Kick-off 2023 by coming along to one of our World Food Markets running through to Feb. And keep an eye out for all our Celebrate Australia events running through January.
Now, you've got 9 weeks to start training for Sydney's most spectacular fun run - our very own Sun Run, from Dee Why to Manly Beach early February. Early bird rates finish next week, so jump online and register soon.
Have a great weekend everyone.
Friday 25 November
It’s great to see the recently opened Narrabeen Lagoon pedestrian and cycle bridge being so well used already. It took a little longer than expected thanks to the weather and a few other minor hiccups but it is worth the wait!
It has replaced the narrow pinch point that had cyclists and walkers competing for space right next to the busy road. Now we have a much wider bridge, separated from the traffic, providing pedestrians and cyclists plenty of space to safely cross the lagoon. And it includes a viewing deck where you can sit and enjoy the view.
It’s the final piece in the magnificent and increasingly popular 8.5km Narrabeen Lagoon loop track – just in time for summer. (Well it was 8.5km when first built but we’ve made some additions - feel free to email me the next time you walk or run around it and measure it on your smart watch!).
Thanks to local MP Rob Stokes and the NSW government for their investment to make this project a reality – another example of how positive state and local government partnerships can get things done.
On a more sombre note, a reminder that today marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, part of the United Nations 16 days of activism which raises awareness and calls for action to eliminate family violence.
At Council we are supporting our local domestic violence network and jointly hosting a memorial at 10am today at the Manly Town Hall forecourt to honour the memory of those we have lost to domestic and family violence.
Would be great to see you there.
Friday 18 November
It’s a pretty busy local hub North Narrabeen Reserve including weekly markets, a golf centre, commuter carpark and hosting an array of sporting codes including at Rat Park.
But we know that it lacks accessibility, decent amenities for sportswomen and could do with some seating, BBQ facilities, more shade and landscaping. It’s a fantastic space with great potential and we’d love to hear how else you think we can improve it. Jump online and use the interactive map to give us your ideas or visit Council staff onsite today or tomorrow as we start to develop the new masterplan for the area.
Also tonight the World Food Markets is being held at Millers Reserve in Manly Vale for the first time. Pop down from 5pm to enjoy some tasty food and local entertainment – a great and family-friendly way to spend a Friday night.
Finally, registrations are now open for the Sun Run. Run, walk or skip as an individual or team along the spectacular coastline from Dee Why to Manly Beach. You have plenty of time to improve your fitness, it’s not until 4 February, but if you register now you’ll save $20 on your entry.
Have a great weekend
Friday 11 November
TRANSCRIPT:
Today is Remembrance Day – a special day to pause and think of all the men and women in our armed forces who have given their lives in battle for Australia.
Almost 62,000 Australians died on the battlefields of world war one, over 32,000 in the second world war and far too many more in conflicts since.
Today we remember and honour them for their ultimate sacrifice.
Remembrance Day commemorates the Armistice - at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month - marking the end of World War one - and honours all those who have suffered or died in wars and armed conflicts.
You can join us for a Remembrance Day service here at the memorial at Manly Dam or at the cenotaph in Manly…
Or attend one of the many other services being held by our local RSL sub-branches across the area.
Or just take a minute of silence yourself, wherever you, are at 11am today, to pay your respects in honour of those many lives lost and to pay tribute to all those men and women still in service today.
Lest we forget.
Friday 4 November 2022
It doesn’t seem all that long ago that people who bought their own reusable bags to the supermarket were in the minority. Now we all take our bags to do the groceries and our planet is better for it.
We’ll all need to get used to doing without other single-use plastic items too now, such as plastic straws, stirrers, cutlery, plates, bowls and cotton buds as the NSW ban on these items comes into effect this week.
The state government tell us single-use plastic items and packaging make up 60 per cent of all litter in NSW, and the single-use plastic bans will prevent almost 2.7 billion items of plastic litter from entering the NSW environment over the next 20 years.
That’s good news for our oceans and waterways and all the sea life that ingest or get tangled in plastic items, often resulting in suffocation, drowning or internal injuries. You can learn more about the ban here.
On a different note, November is NSW Small Business Month. The theme is “Connect for Success”, so we are hosting a business networking event to help business locate the support they need to thrive. Register here.
Finally, a shout out to Matt Formston, former Paralympic cyclist and three-time World Champion blind surfer who hails from the ‘Beaches as he embarks on his next challenge, to surf big waves. A documentary following his story is in production and I was lucky enough to meet the crew filming Matt teach some great kids with vision impairment how to surf in Manly this week. Look out for this doco – it promises to be a terrific watch!
Have a great weekend.
Friday 28 October
Copy of Transcript:
I could not be prouder of our Council and community this week after we were awarded the AR Bluett Memorial Award.
This is the highest accolade you can achieve as a council and while most of you will not have heard of it, in the world of local government it is actually a pretty big deal.
I am especially pleased we have been recognised as such a relatively young organisation.
We have had a very strong focus - investing in fixing the huge maintenance backlog, paying down millions of dollars in debt and establishing a forward-looking, fiscally responsible organisation who puts the community first.
We have not just weathered the crazy disruptions of the last few years of storms, floods and the pandemic, but we’ve also had the capacity to support local business and ratepayers while delivering some incredible new infrastructure and world-class events.
Of course we can always do better (and yes to all you who are emailing me, we are trying hard to get on top of those potholes before this incessant rain creates more)… but it’s nice to be recognised for the hard work that has got us here today.
So I must say a huge thank you to all our amazing staff and volunteers, to the CEO and executive team, to my talented fellow councillors and to you, our community, who always push us to be the best we can be.
All of you have contributed to this great achievement and I sincerely thank you.
Friday 21 October
How great to live in a community so rich with history and inspiring characters!
Last Friday we unveiled a new memorial on Mona Vale headland recognising the 1,800 people who lost their lives at sea during World War II while being transported to Japan and islands in the South-West Pacific.
The memorial is the legacy of local veteran Wal Williams who cheated death during the war more than once himself and passionately advocated for this memorial. (Read Wal’s incredible story here.)
I encourage you to visit the memorial bench and reflect on those many lives lost as you look to the horizon – just as Wal intended.
Hawaiian Olympic swimmer and surfer Duke Kahanamoku was also honoured this week with a NSW Heritage ‘blue plaque’ on Freshwater surf club. The Duke is credited with popularising surfing in Australia, thanks to his wave-riding demonstrations at Freshie Beach back in 1914.
And of course we are fostering the next generation of amazing characters through our early learning centres. It’s Early Learning Matters Week, a chance to recognise the incredible contribution high-quality early learning can have on a developing young brain.
The evidence is in and it tells us that play-based education and care supports young children to thrive and helps build a solid educational foundation for their lives. Hear from some of our own very cute early learners about how they love it so much they don’t want to go home!
Finally, a reminder that nominations for Australia Day awards close at the end of the month. I’m sure you know someone who deserves to be nominated for the work they do in our community so don’t miss the opportunity to have them recognised.
Have a great weekend.
Friday 14 October
It would be fair to say that our mental health sure has been tested over the last few years. Did you know that October is Mental Health Month and aims to raise awareness, decrease stigma and remind people how to seek support for themselves or others?
Council has a range of great resources available on our website including a webinar series, lists of local support services and even wellbeing tips.
And if you want more, head to Berry Reserve markets this Sunday where Council and a range of local services will be on hand to provide advice as well as some fun mindfulness activities like spray painting, drumming and basketball.
A massive shout out too, to all the people who are carers in our community. There are over 2.7 million unpaid carers in Australia. And while we know they do it out of love, there is no doubt it can sometimes be pretty challenging to say the least. I have seen it first hand so can talk from experience. If you are a carer, please join us for a webinar to learn more about what support is available or, if you prefer, join us face to face to let us say thanks with a cuppa.
Finally, if you haven’t tried wheelchair basketball I highly recommend it! Fast, fun and a great workout. You can play at the PCYC, every Wednesday, 4pm – 6pm. Open to all ages and abilities - they’ll even provide sports wheelchairs, free coaching and equipment. Register your interest here. It is serious fun with your mates, or with your family - please have a go!
Have a great weekend!
