Archives: Media Releases

MORE THAN $620,000 TO GREEN THE SHIRE

Barren Sutherland Shire streets will benefit from over 2800 trees being planted by Sutherland Shire Council with a $620,000+ grant from the NSW government announced today.

 

 

It’s part of the Five Million Trees for Greater Sydney initiative – planting 5 million trees in Sydney by 2030 to increase Sydney’s tree canopy from 16% to 40%.

 

 

More tree canopy means more shade, cooler suburbs, more habitats for wildlife, lower carbon emissions, prettier suburbs and even higher property values.

 

 

Since April 2018, almost 100,000 trees have been planted across Greater Sydney under the Five Million Trees initiative.

 

ARTISTS TO NULLIFY GRAFFITI IN THE CRONULLA

Sutherland Shire is fast becoming a hub for outdoor art, with a $100,000 investment to transform graffiti hotspots in Cronulla into a cultural oasis.

 

The joint project, to be run by Sutherland Shire Council, would build on the success of the Walk the Walls festival in Caringbah, which reduced crime in a CBD that was scarred by vandalism.


Last year 34 artists decorated 23 walls during the Caringbah festival and the results have been incredible with graffiti plummeting in the area and all murals still intact.


The Cronulla project will be Walk the Walls – Part Two, with Surf Lane, Cronulla Street and Purley Place to be given spectacular makeovers during a three-day festival later this year.


The event will be a drawcard for thousands of visitors and residents as local, Indigenous and national artists paint large scale murals in the suburb’s CBD and rail corridors. Artworks will be protected by anti-graffiti coatings.


Young people at risk of engaging in vandalism will be given an opportunity to learn from professional artists about lawfully expressing creativity.


The event would deliver a boost to the local economy and have long-term benefits for the community.


Cronulla’s CBD is the Sutherland Shire’s premier entertainment precinct at night and beautifying its streets will make it safer and more appealing to visitors.


The Walk The Walls festival will be funded with a $75,000 grant from the NSW Government’s Safer Community Compact program which invests up to $1.35 million every year in grass-roots projects to reduce crime across NSW. Sutherland Shire Council is contributing $25,000 to the project.


The Safer Community Compact program recognises local people understand the crime problems facing their communities and can play an important role in addressing them.


The festival will include live music and food stalls and will be conducted in partnership with council, local businesses, community organisations and young people.


The dates for Cronulla’s Walk the Walls festival are yet to be finalised.

 

 

 

 

NSW GOVERNMENT COMMITS TO BUILDING ENTIRE SUTHERLAND TO CRONULLA ACTIVE TRANSPORT LINK

The NSW Government has announced that work has started on the first stage of the Sutherland to Cronulla Active Transport Link between Sutherland and Kirrawee. It is also working towards finalising the remainder of the route, linking Kirrawee to Cronulla, creating a continuous path of about 11 kilometres.


Construction of stage two is intended to commence in the second half of 2020, subject to detailed design and planning approval.


The dedicated pedestrian and bicycle path will connect key destinations between Sutherland and Kirrawee, including local schools, shops, restaurants, the farmers’ market, train station and entertainment centre.


Bicycle riders and pedestrians will be able to use stage one by early 2020 and stage two progressively from opening from 2021 and completed by 2023, subject to community consultation and approvals.


This new link will help to attract new riders and ease local traffic congestion. It also provides a safe alternative for people who want to walk to destinations and there are also health benefits for all who participate on two wheels or two legs.


During consultation the community told us they wanted work to progress on future stages of the active transport link and we are making sure that happens.


The Kirrawee to Cronulla stage will make greater use of the rail corridor while still connecting key destinations like transport interchanges, parks, retail and business precincts and Cronulla Beach.


This will be the first time in NSW that an active transport link has been built within such a busy, suburban rail corridor.


Detailed survey and design work to confirm the route of the second stage, identification of construction options and consultation with the community will all be happening over the coming year to make sure we design an asset that delivers value to the community for the long term.


Details on the Sutherland to Cronulla Active Transport Link (SCATL) can be found at www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects.

 

UPGRADES ON THE WAY FOR CRONULLA PRESCHOOLS

5 preschools in the Cronulla electorate will be receiving upgrades, thanks to a NSW Government initiative aiming to continually improve the environment of preschool services.

“A total of $73,185 has been invested in community preschools in the Cronulla electorate, as part of the NSW Government’s Quality Learning Environments program, which will fund improvements to preschool grounds and buildings, as well as specialised educational programs for children.

“In this round of Quality Learning Environments grants, funds have been allocated for specialised educational programs and practices like art classes, yoga or dance lessons, along with service enhancements such as playground renovations or new carpet,” Mr Speakman said.

In this round of the grant program, the following services in the Cronulla electorate will receive upgrades:

  • $14,776 for Caringbah Uniting Pre-School Kindergarten to install shade sails in the outdoor learning environment and presentation by Taronga Zoo Zoomobile
  • $15,000 for Jacaranda Pre-School Caringbah to upgrade lighting and provide lighting to playground
  • $15,000 for Grays Point Pre-School for a recycled rain water play area
  • $13,409 to Kurnell Pre-School Kindergarten for outdoor blinds and painting
  • $15,000 to Cronulla Pre-School Kindergarten for STEM Preschool Programs
 

For more information on the Quality Learning Environments program see: https://education.nsw.gov.au/early-childhood-education/operating-an-early-childhood-education-service/grants-and-funded-programs/quality-learning-environments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CRONULLA FINALISTS IN 2019 NSW WOMEN OF THE YEAR AWARDS

Cronulla MP Mark Speakman today congratulated Ruan Sims and Kate Fitzsimons on being named finalists for the 2019 NSW Women of the Year Awards.

 

The NSW Women of the Year Awards program recognises remarkable women across the state who have achieved inspiring things in their careers, in business or in their communities.

 

Cronulla’s Ruan Sims is a finalist in the NSW Premier’s Woman of the Year Award. Ruan is a firefighter with the NSW Fire and Rescue Service, a professional rugby league player, leader, role model, media commentator, NRL Ambassador, domestic violence and mental health advocate.

 

Harvey Norman Young Woman of the Year Award finalist, Kate Fitzsimons of Cronulla, is the director of the Nicole Fitzsimons Foundation. The foundation aims to educate young people on the importance of overseas travel safety and also provides talented and dedicated young performing artists and sportspeople with financial assistance.

 

“Ruan and Kate are each making a significant impact in the places where we live and work, and in the lives of the people around them.

 

“I am pleased that these inspirational women are being recognised in this way and I encourage the community to show their support by viewing their remarkable stories online and by voting,” Mr Speakman said.

 

Finalists are listed in the following 2019 Awards categories, which are now open for online voting:

  • Community Hero Award,
  • Harvey Norman Young Woman of the Year Award,
  • Rex Airlines Regional Woman of the Year Award,
  • NSW Business Woman of the Year Award, and
  • First State Super Lifetime Achievement Award.

To submit your vote, or read more about the finalists, visit: https://www.women.nsw.gov.au/nsw-womens-week/women_of_the_year_awards.

 

Voting closes on 15 February, with winners to be announced at the 2019 NSW Women of the Year Awards at the International Convention Centre Sydney on March 7.

 

EASING CONGESTION AT MAJOR CARINGBAH INTERSECTION

Motorists and pedestrians in Caringbah will experience reduced congestion and increased safety, with work starting in February to improve the intersection of Taren Point Road, The Boulevarde and Captain Cook Drive.

 

Around 70,000 vehicles travel through this intersection daily, with southbound motorists on Taren Point Road experiencing significant delays when trying to turn right into The Boulevarde.

 

This project will ease congestion by widening Taren Point Road to include an additional right turn lane heading south into The Boulevarde heading west, which will help deliver faster journeys for road users heading towards Miranda, Gymea, Kirrawee, Sutherland and beyond.

 

More than 1,600 students attend nearby Endeavour Sports and Caringbah High Schools, making this intersection a major hub for pedestrians as well, particularly during morning and afternoon pick-up and drop-off times.

 

The upgrade includes relocating and widening the pedestrian crossings on The Boulevarde, and replacing the footpath and fencing along the north-west corner of the intersection.

 

New pedestrian crossing lights will be installed and the intersection will be resurfaced with new line markings, including on each of the four pedestrian crossings, to make it safer and easier for people to cross the road.

 

Roads and Maritime Services is working closely with the local schools to ensure students, parents and teachers are kept informed as the work progresses and as little disruption as possible occurs.

 

Work is expected to start on 1 February 2019 and take up to eight months to complete.

 

Work will be carried out on weekdays between 7am and 6pm, and between 8am and 1pm on Saturday. Work may also take place on up to five nights a week between 8pm and 5am from Sunday to Thursday, weather permitting and excluding public holidays.

 

More information about the project is available on the Roads and Maritime Services website: www.rms.nsw.gov.au/projects/sydney-south.

 

EASING CONGESTION ON ELOUERA ROAD CRONULLA

Motorists and cyclists will soon experience quicker and easier journeys through Cronulla, with work progressing to ease congestion at the busy intersection of Elouera Road and Kingsway.

Proposed upgrades to the intersection include adding a new right turn lane on Elouera Road to help prevent traffic building up and blocking the nearby through lane. Plans allow seven extra cars to fit into the upgraded turning bay, doubling capacity and allowing more efficient traffic flow.

With around 20,000 motorists using Kingsway each day, this corridor is crucial to keep people moving around Cronulla and the local region.

The project will also improve safety for cyclists by installing an on-road cycle lane for southbound riders on Elouera Road to connect with the existing cycle lane on Gerrale Street.

The important local Bali memorial will not be impacted by this work and artist’s impressions reflect the care taken to ensure the appearance of Peryman Square is maintained.

The first stage of work will start in December, and include relocating two accessible car parking spaces on Elouera Road further north, towards Mitchell Road, and road resurfacing work.

This minor work will be carried out between Sunday 9 and Sunday 23 December from 7am to 6pm on weekdays and from 8pm to 5am Sunday to Thursday, weather permitting.

Before major work starts in 2019 the community is being asked to have a say on parking changes, with around 15 spaces to be removed on Elouera Road.

Roads and Maritime is working with Sutherland Shire Council to ensure as many of these spaces as possible are replaced. There are three proposals.

The first is to converting existing open space at the rear of the Mitchell Road car park to add 15 replacement spaces.

A second option is to change the existing untimed parking spaces on Mitchell Road, near Elouera Road, to four hour timed parking. This would replace 13 timed spaces removed from Elouera Road.

A third proposal is moving parking spaces on Mitchell Road, between Burke Road and Prince Street, from the west side of the road to the east side of the road. This would provide seven extra untimed spaces.

Feedback is also being sought on the work schedule for 2019, to ensure it minimises any potential disruption to local traffic, limits noise and maintains access to businesses and North Cronulla Beach.

To complete the project as quickly as possible, Roads and Maritime is proposing to work up to five nights and six days a week.

There will be temporary traffic changes during work hours, to ensure the safety of pedestrians, motorists and workers. Lane closures will be in place and may affect travel times.

The project team will be available at a pop-up kiosk outside Cronulla Post Office on Thursday 6 December, from 4pm to 7pm, and on Saturday 8 December from 10am to 1pm.

Roads and Maritime is requesting comments or suggestions on this project by Monday 17 December 2018. To have your say you contact the project team on 1800 572 004, by email at pinchpoint@rms.nsw.gov.au or by writing to PO Box 973, Parramatta NSW 2124.

 

 

$330,000 FOR CRONULLA ELECTORATE COMMUNITY PROJECTS

11 local community groups in the Cronulla electorate have secured a total of $330,000 of funding from the NSW government’s 2018 Community Building Partnership (CBP) program.

The program funds infrastructure projects for local community groups and schools and helps to pay for much-needed improvements.

The NSW Government’s strong economic management ensures we are in a position to invest in these important local projects.

The successful projects in the Cronulla electorate for 2018 are:

  • Laguna Street Public School P&C (installation of new all-weather pitch) $55,000
  • Woolooware High School P&C (basketball court resurfacing and carpark reconfiguration) $46,000
  • Burraneer Bay Public School P&C (covered walkways) $45,000
  • Yowie Bay Public School P&C (refurbish school oval with synthetic playing field) $40,000
  • St Francis de Sales Catholic Primary School (playground upgrade) $35,000
  • Kirrawee High School P&C (new toilet blocks) $30,000
  • Cronulla Public School P&C (shade sail) $25,000
  • Civic Disability Services Ltd. (new recreational space) $20,000
  • Shire Woodworking Club Inc. (purchase of laser cutter and engraver) $15,200
  • De La Salle Caringbah Junior Rugby League Football Club Inc. (grandstand seating) $15,000
  • Southside Malibu Club Cronulla Inc. (club equipment trailer with signage) $3,800

I congratulate all the organisations that were successful in their application and look forward to seeing how these projects make a difference for community groups in the area.

 

 

 

 

 

IMPROVED TRAFFIC CONDITIONS FOR LOCALS WITH F6 EXTENSION STAGE 1

Local motorists in Sydney’s south will spend less time sitting in traffic and more time doing the things they love thanks to the proposed F6 Extension Stage 1.

MPs Mark Speakman, Eleni Petinos, Lee Evans, Melanie Gibbons and Mark Coure today welcomed the release of the environmental impact statement for the F6 Extension Stage 1.

The MPs said the project will deliver the missing link from Sydney’s south to the wider motorway network, making journeys easier, faster and safer. It will contribute to a more accessible, more liveable and more productive Greater Sydney and southern district, creating 5,300 jobs throughout the life of the project, the MP’s said.

The MPs said the carefully planned project will deliver upgrades along President Avenue, Princes Highway and local streets.

“There will be additional turning lanes from Princes Highway including a dedicated right turn lane from the south.”

“There will also be new right turn bays from President Avenue to St George TAFE Campus, and to Lachal Avenue, all of which will improve traffic flow in the area.

“The project frees up local roads and slashes travel times for Sydney’s south.”

The required southern ventilation facility will be constructed in the industrial zone on West Botany Street which will minimise impacts to the residential community, schools and the surrounding open space.

The community has also had a significant win with new and refurbished community and sporting facilities provided during construction to minimise impacts on the local fields.

The community are passionate about these facilities, and the positive impact they have on their quality of life and the health and wellbeing of young people in particular.

The F6 Extension Stage 1 will:

– Provide direct access from southern Sydney to the wider Sydney motorway network

– Bypass up to 23 sets of traffic lights on the Princess Highway between St Peters and Kogarah

– Provide more reliable travel times

– Remove traffic from local surface roads

– Provide improved access to jobs, education and recreational facilities

– Bypass Sydney Airport traffic

The Environmental Impact Statement for F6 Extension Stage 1 is now available for community feedback. We encourage everyone to have their say on this important project by providing written submissions to the Department of Planning and Environment at http://www.majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/.

For more information on the F6 Extension Stage 1 and to access an interactive guide to the EIS, please visit http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/projects/sydney-south/f6/index.html.

 

 

 

 

ECO SCHOOLS GRANTS FOR SHIRE SCHOOLS

Shire MPs Lee Evans, Eleni Petinos and Mark Speakman announced today three Shire schools would each receive a $3,500 Eco Schools Grant to encourage environmental learning opportunities for students, teachers and the school community.

School Project
   
Grays Point Public

School

 Sustainable/ecofriendly “school in the park” to provide for the school canteen and local community through a community garden.

 
Waterfall Public School Nature Inspired Learning Environment (NILE) to create several separate yet linked learning spaces, incorporating a multi-layered approach to promoting environmental and sustainability learning.

 
The Jannali High School To construct an outdoor Eco learning area focused around teaching students the importance of sustainability and waste management.

School children participating in these grassroots environmental projects learn skills for sustainable living and develop an appreciation for their local environment.

The program provides a hands-on, curriculum-based environmental education for students, with a focus on strong student participation. The students also learn about the importance of protecting the environment for future generations.

86 schools across NSW will share in more than $300,000 to implement local and practical environmental education initiatives through the 2018 round of the Eco Schools Grant Program.

For more details and project descriptions visit https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/grants/schools.htm