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| March 11, 2012 | ||
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Newsletter
for
Offshore Residents
of Pittwater, Australia
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| Project Local - Support Marine Rescue Broken Bay Dear Boaties, The offshore communities have a long and proven record of community spirit and looking out for each other - values shared by each of the volunteers at Marine Rescue Broken Bay. Every weekend we respond to emergencies on the Pittwater and offshore. We assist hundreds of Boaties, in many different ways, every year. We work very hard to raise funds so that we can continue to provide support to anyone who requires assistance on the water. Our fundraising funds day to day fuel and operating costs. Currently our ability to respond to emergencies is being limited by an unserviceable boat trailer. Unfortunately the trailer has passed it's used by date and is unusable. The trailer is crucial to our ability to launch and retrieve our RIB and be able to respond to calls for assistance and emergencies. We would be extremely grateful if you would vote for us in the Manly Daily's Project Local. The local project which receives the most votes will receive $2,500. This funding will allow us to purchase a new boat trailer and continue to be able to provide the rapid response so vital to saving lives and property in an emergency. The voting link can be found here: http://projectlocal.com.au/idea-details/3d94cb4f-6128-831a-fb2c-4f474260386f# Everyone who registers can vote up to 10 times. All your votes can be given to Marine Rescue Broken Bay or be distributed amongst a number of local projects. Thank you for your support. Marine Rescue NSW Broken Bay
PITTWATER’S WOMAN OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCED Member for Pittwater Rob Stokes announced this week Pittwater Councillor Patricia Giles OAM as Pittwater’s Woman of the Year. The award was presented at the International Women’s Day Breakfast at Mona Vale Golf Club hosted by the Zonta Club of the Northern Beaches. Rob Stokes praised Cr Giles for her relentless efforts saying she is one of our community’s most dedicated advocates. "For over two decades Trish has fought for our community – helping to secure areas of natural beauty including the Warriewood Wetlands, Ingleside Escarpment, Winnererremy Bay, Bangalow Reserve and Currawong. "Trish is a remarkable member of our community and this award is a fitting tribute to her outstanding efforts over so many years," Rob Stokes concluded. Councillor Giles has served as a Pittwater Councillor for 20 consecutive years and was the longest serving Pittwater Mayor, holding the position for six and a half years. Pittwater Mayor, Harvey Rose congratulated Cr Giles on her award and echoed the sentiments of Local Member, Rob Stokes, saying that without Cr Giles’ tenacity much of Pittwater’s open space, bush and parkland would not have been retained. The annual Zonta breakfast is a major fundraiser for the club, raising nearly $4000 annually. These funds are donated to a number of valuable causes both at a local and international level. For information about the Zonta Club of the Northern Beaches visit: www.zontadistrict24.org/District24/Northern_Beaches.html THE MATURE MAN’S BOOK CLUB A reading group for men will be starting up at Mona Vale Library during Seniors Week in March. Library manager Cathy Howie said the new Mature Man’s Book Club was a reading group specially for older men in the community. “Book groups are often thought of as being for women but this one aims to encourage men to open up and discuss their reading likes and dislikes,” she said. The Mature Man’s Book Club will have its first meeting at 2pm on Tuesday 20 March at Mona Vale Library, 1 Park Street. Each session lasts around an hour. “No special literary knowledge is needed, just an appreciation of reading and a willingness to talk about different books across all genres, both fiction and non-fiction,” Ms Howie said. She said the first session on 20 March would kick off with a general discussion about books, leaving members free to nominate topics for future meetings. The group will meet monthly every third Tuesday at the library. To find out more or to join the group phone Sharelle Ravenscroft on 9970 1609 or email sharelle_ravenscroft@pittwater.nsw.gov.au Media contact: Cathy Howie Mona Vale Library Ph: 9970 1601 Letters to the Editor An Onshore Perspective Some time ago a request was made by an offshore resident interested in an onshore perspective on the Church Point masterplan – particularly relating to precinct 1 and proposal for a suspended carpark. I am happy to provide this perspective as a resident of over 15 years who has had ongoing involvement in the masterplan dating back to the days when Council proposed replacing the existing jetty with a Darling Harbour style pontoon (about 10-12 years ago). This was when the on and offshore communities came together as one community pressing for a masterplan to guide all development at the Point. We have something very unique here which is becoming increasingly threatened by inadequate and untested planning decisions, inappropriate developer (council) driven approval and review and final approval by councilors who are mainly concerned with getting rid of a long term problem as quickly as possible. We have a Council which views Church Point as nothing more than a transport hub! 1 - Prior to adoption of the PoM Council employed an independent panel of suitably qualified experts to review and make recommendation on the PoM and the supporting masterplan. This panel expressed concern at both the financial and environmental risk posed by the current masterplan (concept plan) proposal and recommended that council concurrently develop a lower impact proposal based on the plan prepared by CPRA on behalf of the working group. Council has not only steadfastly refused to do so but has sought to silence its critics by refusing to consult with onshore associations other than providing information on progress. Apart from the environmental (including visual) impact of the current plan there is a direct link between user pays and capital works. Put simply – the more extensive and elaborate the works – the higher the cost to the end users! 2 - Council’s solution?– a suspended carpark with high cost dedicated spaces for a privileged few at ground level. Those who can’t afford this will need to negotiate goods and children from the upper level carpark. A lift will need to be provided to comply with access legislation – so the costs increase. The cliff adjoining is slip affected . It is unlikely that geotechnical stabilization has been fully addressed or costed. Council’s own landscape architect is on record as having stated that it will be almost impossible to screen. There will be significant lighting impacts from the deck and the undercroft area. This visual noise will destroy the very ambience which has attracted so many to the area in the first instance. 3 - It has recently come to light that Council has applied for joint grant funding with Gosford Council to make improvements in waterfront infrastructure at both Gosford and Pittwater/Church Point. The understanding is that our Council is looking at providing an additional ferry stop south of Palm Beach for the Gosford ferry. Church Point is one location being considered. Is it acceptable that Council has not informed our community that it is even contemplating this proposal? Clearly this is also a driver for the suspended carpark! 4 - The Church Point P0M is the largest and most significant development to occur in Pittwater in several decades. It is deserving of the utmost scrutiny if we are to avoid the excesses seen in developments such as the Ettalong RSL which has fouled the visual environment for so many. Council is the developer in this instance and they are also the approving authority. This presents a clear conflict of interest in the absence of an independent approving body. Council are not required to submit a Development Application and they determine which studies they do and do not require. There is no heritage study for this area. We are not aware of any sustainability studies or flora and fauna studies relating to the cliff area where access would be provided to the suspended carpark – an area with emergent spotted gums. No other developer has this sort of leeway and all major developments are subject to approval by the Joint Regional Panel. Even if Council can legally bypass this requirement, in the interests of transparency it should adopt the same process. What has happened to the concepts of transparency, due process and duty of care? This is 1970s planning at its worst. Every other Sydney Council is working to protect the amenity of its waterfronts from just this kind of development. What is being questioned is not the PoM but the developed design of Precinct 1 contained in the supplementary masterplan. Masterplans are concept designs and as such would normally be subject to developed design taking into account improved outcomes. There is absolutely nothing to be lost, and possibly much to be gained, in looking at a lower capital costs alternative. The PoM as a strategic document is not under threat as this is the normal masterplan development process. At the end of the day we have a choice. Do we choose an expedient solution just to “get on with it” or do we push for the best possible plan which is financially and environmentally responsible which not only addresses carparking needs but the very reason we came to live here in the first place. Cathy Kubany 3rd March 2012 Green Clearance Just a bouquet - maybe a pat on the back - for the Green clearance guys a fortnight ago. A very thorough job, boxes back in order and all trash moved . Thank very much to the team Alan Grundy Baywatch 2012 News from the West Pittwater Community Association Inside this issue: Welcome to the autumn edition 2012 of BayWatch. We are pleased to present President Michael Wiener’s Annual report (page 2) There are many interesting stories related to our beautiful part of the world. We invite you to contribute to the next edition by simply putting together 100-150 words and forwarding it to the editors: baywatch@wpca.org.au Do you subscribe to the wonderful BaysNews online newsletter? Get regular updates on all that happens in our community. For more information contact Brigitte at : brigitte@amadesign.com President’s Report 2 Ferries at the bottom of my Garden 3 CRED Reference Report 3 The past 12 months in Elvina Bay 4 Rocky Point Bush Care Group 4 Commercial Fishing Pittwater 5 I call it Paradise 5 ‘Up the Creek’ 5 Surviving the Curse of Glamour 6 Bush Care 6 Lovett Bay Rhythm 6 What Happened to Summer?6 Fire Brigade Matters7 Fire Trails 9 To Kuddle or KeelHaul 10 Open a PDF of the newsletter by clicking the flyer below or click HERE  House to Share TWO ROOMS AVAILABLE IN OLDER BUT WELL-LOVED HOUSE CLOSE TO TENNIS WHARF. SHARE WITH ONE FEMALE AND ONE CAT. SHARED BATHROOM AND KITCHEN, WITH LARGE LIVING AREAS. SEPARATE ENTRANCE. WONDERFULLY SITUATED ON SUNNY CORNER. SHARE RENT AND EXPENSES PLEASE APPLY TO LIZ 0424341458 FOR FURTHER DETAILS Missed out on a Newsletter? Go to the archives to download previous notices A complete set of past electronic newsletters since May 2000 can be found and read at https://ymlp.com/archive_gesgjgm.php The Online Local Contact Guide Click HERE to load The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily the views of the Scotland Island Residents Association (SIRA), or the Western Pittwater Community Association (WPCA) |
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