June 16 - 22, 2013: Issue 115
2013 Avalon Tattoo Brings Scotland the Brave to Pittwater
Just one of the wonderful bands that performed yesterday at the only Annual Tattoo in NSW - the NSW Fire & Rescue Band and Marching Team . Picture by A J Guesdon.
This year's Avalon Tattoo was a celebration of community, our upcoming generation and wonderful music made by wonderful people.
More HERE
Premier's 2013 Community Service Award for Pittwater - Michael Mannington, Volunteer Photography
Michael Mannington, 'photographer at large' at Woody Point Yacht Club's annual Putt Putt Regatta, January 2012, with Cheeky 'pooch at large'. Picture by A J Guesdon.
This photo of a photographer 'at large' who remarked moments before it was taken "here we are again...pretending to work...", captures a little of the essence of a gentleman who has supported hundreds of community organisations and their volunteers over many years and for countless hours by providing a keen eye and clear lens to capture their events and peoples. What makes Volunteer Photography a success in our community, like the thousands of others here who devote their time and energy to investing back into community, is that money is only worth so much and cannot buy all things. Some other worth applies. Providing the shot without cost, an acknowledgement that we should keep a record and get the message out, bothering to get it as it actually is by not standing outside and looking in but engaging with what is happening are just a few earmarks of what MM, and those who work alongside him, bring with them.
More HERE
Brian Friend - OAM
Brian Friend on Monday 10th of June, 2013. Picture by A J Guesdon.
Brian Friend has 47 years of giving to the children and adults on the Northern Beaches as either a coach, instigator of off season activities like touch footy, by raising thousands of dollars for charities and community organisations or saving lives while on duty as a water policeman. He, along with two other Pittwater residents, were acknowledged for their contributions last Monday.
Pittwater's OAM's 2013
Ivor Arthur Davies (Iva) - For significant service to the music and entertainment industry as a songwriter and performer, and to the community.
Shirley Phelps - For service to the community of Pittwater
Brian Friend - For service to touch football, and to the community of Manly Warringah
More HERE
Community Consultations of the Independent Local Government Review Panel at Dee Why - the Transcription
Time is running out to 'have your say' on both the proposed changes to Local Government, The White Paper and the Metropolitan Strategy for Sydney. Submissions to the 28th of June is the date for the three. Instead of trying to make you look in three directions at once or refer to 'Background Terms of Reference Briefing Papers' prior to trying to work out what the succinct definitions of parameters and limits may be, we provide what has been said by those representing Pittwater community groups at Dee Why on June 4th, 2013 at the Community Consultation by the Independent Local Government Review Panel as a permanent record of their words.
In Issue 116 we will run the plain words of what we have heard from you during past weeks on the White Paper and the elements of this that seem to be apparent already in state government initiatives such as the Joint Regional Planning Panel, which has overidden Pittwater Council on Stage 2 of the Oceanvale development at Warriewood, and granted a go-ahead for a construction that equates to 55.8 dwellings per hectare. Reasonable consideration of which parts of the White Paper you may object most strongly to will be our aim.
On Warriewood Valley: Pittwater Council published on Thursday (13.6.2013) the Warriewood Valley Strategic Review meaning up to 32 dwellings can now be built on undeveloped land, up from the previous maximum of 25. Council has rejected a request by the Director General of NSW Planning & Infrastructure Sam Haddad for flexibility on higher densities. The Review will allow properties in Fern Creek Road and Orchard Street to be rezoned to residential, providing local infrastructure can still be delivered to allow for the population increase. No change is proposed to the Southern Buffer area between Boondah and Jacksons Roads. Read the report in full here.
We would like all to know that the community group People for Pittwater will host the Better Planning Network on Tuesday 25 June at Mona Vale Memorial Hall between 7pm and 8.30pm. Speakers from the network will outline the proposed changes to NSW planning law and answer questions from residents. The Better Planning Network is an affiliation of nearly 400 community groups concerned about the changes to planning law that are due to come into effect by the end of this year.
All at Pittwater Online News would like to thank the many who have made our phones run hot and helped us with their insights into the many documents we have been scrutinising in past weeks. Please continue to contact us should you have anything you wish to contribute to next week's Issue.
Perhaps some of you are a little like us by now and can still see Ted Mack, slightly weary, with an occasional wry smile, defiant and departing, by choice, mere hours before….., via his own personal ‘policy’ of an Integrity Clause that is ever, and ever after.
Is there a better model…a better ‘concept’?
Up or Out or an O that overshadows all else ?
Better yet …o-o-o …has been the firm and undeniable message to Macquarie street from Pittwater, and... state wide … would a vision to be a vibrant sustainable community of connected villages inspired by bush, beach and water … where we can still turn to see each other, look each other in the eyes, be closer to bearing good fruit... from a good tree... planted in living ground?
