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Thursday, April 23, 2020

Blacktown City Council April e-newsletter

April
e-newsletter
Mayor's Message
Mayor Blacktown City
A helping hand from Council
The health and wellbeing of our communities is your Council’s top priority.
I would like to thank our residents who are doing the right thing and staying home.
Of course, COVID-19 testing is available locally. 
As well as Blacktown and Westmead Hospitals, there are clinics at medical practices at Kildare Road, Blacktown, and a drive-in testing clinic in the Council car park, corner of Market and George Streets, Riverstone.
I urge anyone displaying any of the following symptoms to seek testing:
  • fever (or recent history of fever)
  • cough
  • sore throat
  • shortness of breath.
Details can on local testing sites be found in the hyperlinks above.
Assistance for local residents and business
Due to COVID-19 pandemic, we want to offer help to those facing hardships.
Residents and businesses who are struggling to pay rates and charges can contact Council to arrange interest-free deferred time-payment plans.
We’re keeping our childcare centres open to help our hard-working families.
Recently, Council had to close our Leisure Centres, and rather than letting all the food in the centre’s shops go to waste, staff took it to Foodbank at Glendenning for distribution to those in need.
Council’s website has a special COVID-19 webpage with links to all the news and information needed by residents and businesses to navigate these difficult times.
And we’re still collecting the garbage and waste, fixing roads, maintaining parks and keeping our call centre open.
We have adapted to the increased restrictions, offering some innovative ways for our residents to keep distracted during these difficult times.
We launched beats and bytes, created a special edition of the School Holiday Guide and we are hosting our first sustainability webinar.
Please, stay safe, stay home and remember - we’re all in this together.
Tony Bleasdale, OAM
Mayor of Blacktown City
'Like' the Mayor on Facebook
Transformational Projects
Mayor Tony Bleasdale, OAM and Blacktown City Council CEO Kerry Robinson, OAM with the new crane at the Warrick Lane site
Warrick lane redevelopment progressing
In March Council reached a major milestone in the Warrick Lane transformation project.
Contractor AW Edwards is surging ahead, with the first concrete pour for the 450 space car park.
A huge heavy-lift crane, installed to assist with the construction process, now towers over the construction site of the underground car park, new town plaza and future location of Australian Catholic University’s Blacktown Campus.
Mayor Tony Bleasdale, OAM and Council’s CEO, Kerry Robinson, OAM were onsite recently to see the site up close.
To view the update, click here.
Find out more
Business as usual for your waste services
With many services around the state closed due to the ongoing pandemic, we would like to reassure our residents that your waste services will continue without interruption. This includes your garbage, recycling and clean up services..
Unsure how to dispose of something correctly? Why not download our ‘B informed’ app!
This app has an A-Z guide showing how to correctly dispose of a large list of items while also giving you:
  • bin reminders
  • the ability to book a clean up.
Find out more
Blacktown City Libraries now offering contactless home delivery
Blacktown City Libraries now offering contactless home delivery
Blacktown City Council is excited to announce that all of our libraries are now offering contactless home delivery of reserved library items.
To get your library items delivered, please reserve them through the online catalogue and confirm your current address and contact phone number.
Should you have any issues, please contact our library staff on 9839 6677.
Please note, this service is only available while our libraries are closed to slow the spread of COVID-19, and delivery is only available to homes within the Blacktown City boundaries.
View the online catalogue
Proposed playspace design for the park on Arilla Close and Beacon Drive Schofields
New playspaces for our community
Have your say on a range of new community playspaces.
Blacktown City Council’s Recreation Planning and Design team continue to design and create interactive and imaginative playspaces for our community that promotes healthy living.
Community consultation is open for:
  • Arilla Close and Beacon Drive, Schofields
  • Breakfast Creek, near Marayong Park.
Construction is underway at the reserve at Bannaby Crescent and Oallen Place, Schofields.
To have your say on any of these proposed playspaces, click here
Have Your Say
Save energy and money while at home
Save energy and money while at home
Looking for ways to save both energy and money at home?
Learn how by registering for our first webinar brought to you by Blacktown City Council and the Australian Energy Foundation. Register here.
Find out more sustainable living tips
Autumn School Holiday Guide
Stuck for ideas on how to keep the kids entertained while keeping safe and staying home?
Blacktown City Council has developed a special edition of the School Holiday Guide with great ideas to keep your kids occupied these school holidays.
There are fun crossword puzzles, arts and craft activities, recipes to do at home and much more.
To check out the guide, click here
View the School Holiday Guide
Beats and Bytes: lockdown sessions
Beats and Bytes: the lockdown sessions
With gathering restrictions still in place, Blacktown City Council is proud to launch our online Beats and Bytes: the lockdown sessions.
Watch performances from Western Sydney’s talented musicians every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from noon till 1 pm on Council’s Facebook page.
Artists including Karleigh Rose, Sefo Vaivao and Kirk Burgess.
If you've missed a session, you can re-watch all of the past performances on Council's YouTube channel.
Find out more
Community News
Tertiary Scholarship applications now open
Tertiary Scholarship applications now open
Each year, Council awards 12 Tertiary Scholarships of $1,500 to successful applicants who have completed at least 1 year of a current enrolment at a recognised Tertiary Institution by the end of 2019 and are continuing their studies in 2020.
Applicants must be residents of the City of Blacktown and provide a copy of academic transcripts relating to their current studies.
The judge’s decision on successful applicants will be final. Previous recipients of this scholarship are not eligible to apply.
Applications are now open and will close at 5.30 pm on Monday 4 May 2020.
For more information or to apply, click here.
Apply now
Community bear hunt
Community bear hunt
Community bear hunt
During these challenging times, it has been difficult to see our Kids’ Early Learning (KEL) centres and family day care homes quieter as many families respectfully have chosen to remain home with their children.
Recently local communities started displaying stuffed toy bears in the front windows of their homes to get children engaged on their outdoor walks.
Kids’ Early Learning Seven Hills West extended on this great initiative and invited the children of the community to drive or walk past with their toy bears on Thursday 2 April and see their friends’ and educators from a respectful distance. The children were excited to see one another and show off their toy bears.
All KEL childcare centres and most family day care homes remain open and operating. We are proud of our educators for remaining a consistent aspect in the lives of children and for their never ending dedication to providing the best care.
Adoption of Blacktown Local Strategic Planning Statement
A plan to manage the growth and development of Blacktown City to 2041 and beyond has been adopted by Blacktown City Council.
The Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) sets out how Council will support Blacktown’s growing population with the right infrastructure in partnership with the community, business and the Australian and NSW governments.
Blacktown City Mayor, Tony Bleasdale, OAM said: ‘Blacktown City has experienced sustained growth since the 1960s, developing into a vibrant, dynamic and multicultural city.
‘Blacktown City is a major contributor to Sydney’s economy and housing market. Within 10 years our population will exceed that of Tasmania and our annual regional economic activity will exceed $26 billion.’
Find out more
Youth Ambassador Program extended
Youth Ambassador Program extended
The Youth Ambassador Program involves the selection of two young people to serve as Ambassadors of Blacktown City for a period of 12 months.
Applications have now been extended until September 2020.
For more information or to apply, click here.
Apply now
Blacktown City Council

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