Youngest Garden Competition Winners

Mayor Ron Hoenig with Logan and Hayen Ingle

 

 

 

Banksmeadow Public School with Hon. MIchael Daley and Mayor Ron Hoenig

Save the Date­ Carols in the Park

For our annual Carols in the Park, I’m happy to say that our ever-popular host, Joy Smithers, will be handling the on-stage duties this year along with co host Brendan Moar from the Lifestyle Channel. Our plans are well in hand and on track for Sunday, December 12.  The setting is Mascot Memorial Park and things get underway from 6pm onwards. For those that arrive early their will be face painting for the children and Pagewood Soccer Club are back with their famous sausage sizzle.  Our thanks go to the members of the Inter Church Council for once again organising this wonderful event on Council’s behalf.

Upgraded Children's Crossing

After we received requests from parents of students attending St Michael’s Primary School at Daceyville about safety of the children’s crossing in Haig Avenue, Council organised an on site inspection with the RTA and local police.  In order to make sure the school crossing was even safer, Council has decided that it will be both upgraded and repainted.  Painting the crossing pavement itself and adjacent markers means motorists are even more aware that there are school children around. 

We’ll also install a safety fence as well as a special 25 metre drop-off/pick-up zone on the eastern side of Haig Avenue from the end of the current No Stopping zone right up to the school driveway.  Signs and line marking will also be upgraded and pram ramps will be provided on each side of the crossing.  It’s all about making our school zones safer for our children. We’re going to use the upcoming school holidays (not that far away) to revitalise some other school crossings and safety markers around school.  The aim will be to have everything looking good – and safe – for when the schools come back for first term next year.

Kmart Wishing Tree

Last week, the 23rd Kmart Wishing Tree appeal began – and it’s something we all should support.  The Wishing Tree appeal, which Kmart organises in conjunction with the Salvation Army, makes Christmas brighter for many thousands of Australian families.  What began in Adelaide in 1988 is now an Australia-wide appeal.

Christmas gifts are collected at all K-Mart stores and distributed by the Salvation Army and several other groups, to families in need. What better way to make a child’s Christmas than to donate a gift.  The gifts can be bought or hand made and all you need to do is drop them off – or more particularly – put them under the wishing tree just inside the door at Kmart’s Eastgardens store. All you need to do is fill out details of the gift (so age groups can be determined) on a Wishing Tree appeal gift tag.  If you want a bit more information, you’ll find one of Kmart’s Wishing Tree Champions in the store who will give advice and help you donate.  Council has supported the Kmart Wishing Tree appeal for many years and at last week’s launch, the Lady Mayoress was on hand to put Council’s gifts under the tree.  This is a really worthwhile appeal and one that puts a smile on lots of faces at Christmas.

Welcome Back Little Athletics

I was delighted to pop in and visit the Little Athletics at Hensley recently at the invitation of their President, Tony Vellecio.

I had the honour, and privilege,  to present the Club Captains with their medals and to congratulate the Club on increasing its numbers to well over 660 this season!  This year’s Club Captains are Theresa Coyle and Alland Odisho. The Vice Captains are Emma McKinney, Serena Kyriacou, Tim Young & Ryan Brijones.
 
The growing interest in Little Athletics was obviously a combination of the new facilities, but largely, he believed, it was due to the hard work of Tony Vecellio and his committee who have been working closely with other sporting organisations to encourage youngsters to keep fit and improve their skills during the summer months.

The City of Botany Bay wishes all its budding athletes a very successful and fun-filled season.  And remember it never too late to join up just give Tony a call on 93494862 or turn up at the track on Saturday morning.

Botany Road/Mill Pond Road Congestion

One day, hopefully in the not so distant future, the geniuses at the RTA may make a decision on what to do with the intersection at Botany Road and Mill Pond Road.  In peak times this is perhaps the most congested of all our local intersections.  It’s where outbound Botany Road traffic has to get across airport-bound traffic and cut around to General Holmes Drive and the airport tunnel. Overhead are both the Southern Cross flyover and the port rail link.  As it is under the final part of the flight path to the east-west runway, we can’t have another overpass (eve we have to keep the trees lopped so they don’t interfere with landing aircraft). 

All-in-all it’s where three modes of transport (road, rail and air) converge and given traffic light phasing, we have congestion backing up along Botany Road, often beyond the Wentworth Avenue intersection.  In recent years I think I’ve seen several options that the RTA has examined (and I know there are a few more they haven’t told Council about) but nothing, so far, has proceeded beyond an option.  Residents and those who work in our City have to go through this shambles each and every day.  Frustration among motorists grows and minor collisions are never far away.   From the level crossing on the final bit of General Holmes Drive (the city side of Wentworth Avenue) to Mill Pond Road and the Southern Cross Drive flyover and the rail line are all in the mix but there must be an engineer’s solution to ease the congestion.  Council will keep at the RTA until one of the many options that has been considered moves from being an option to an actual project.

Food Inspections

Over the past couple of months, Council’s health inspectors have cast a close and careful eye over more than 130 shops and factories where food is prepared and/or sold.  Buying pre-prepared food is now an established part of all our daily lives.  Making sure that pre-prepared food is safe is a central part of Council caring for the community. It’s also part of our relentless campaign to ensure that those preparing or selling food does so with the highest hygiene and safety.  We inspect and we work with those who prepare food, making sure they are aware of all the standards that have to be met.  One slip or one cut corner can lead to illness among those who consume the food.  It’s a testament to the effectiveness of our on-going inspection and education of food outlets and factories that of all those inspected only two were issued with penalty notices.  Six were informed that they had to upgrade their operations and Council’s inspectors will be back to make sure all the necessary safety and hygiene standards are in place. Our aim is to make sure food prepared and sold in our City is of the highest standard.