Clontarf beach and Fairlight harbour pool now have some of the 'greenest' seawalls in Sydney. Beautiful textured tiles (pictures) have been attached to the old seawalls, so barnacles, seaweeds, oysters and limpets can find a new home, and the intertidal eco-system can begin to regrow. The intertidal areas, which are crucial for the overall aquatic environment, should be teeming with life. But in Sydney kilometres of walls have been built along our harbour and ocean foreshore, stunting plant and animal life. The new eco-tiles will fix that, providing a much greater surface area full of cozy nooks and crannies for sea life to take hold. The work at Clontarf and Fairlight has been funded by our local philanthropists Dorset Sutton and Jenny Lim Sutton. Wonderful work!
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Following extensive lobbying by the Clontarf Community Forum and Manly Ward Councillors, our much loved Clontarf Reserve is to have an extensive upgrade featuring a newly equipped playground, with construction scheduled from June- September 2020. Playground
A themed playground concept design has been developed that embraces the unique and diverse Middle Harbour aquatic environment – the seagrass/foreshore habitat, fish movement and fishing. The concept plans were utilised in a funding application Council recently submitted (11 December 2019) in the Everyone Can Play (ECP) grant program through the NSW Government. An additional $200,000 has been sought to supplement the project budget. The outcome of that grant is expected by the end of February 2020. Council is currently liaising with playground equipment suppliers on play equipment options for the key play activities areas in the design, and associated costs, and preliminary costing for the overall design is being prepared. Some items may require staging. Timing: March 2020 Finalise Design Documentation April 2020 Procurement - Play equipment supply (pre-order to allow for 18- 20 week lead-time) May-June 2020 Procurement – Landscape Contract June-September 2020 Construction Second toilet block Once the playground design is finalised Council will prepare to undertake community engagement on a proposed second toilet block Car park works and dingy storage Sydney Water has advised that any proposed watercraft storage and carpark works at the end of the car park adjacent to the boat ramp would be impacted by anticipated remediation works planned by Sydney Water to their infrastructure over the next few years. Coucil will work closely with Sydney Water on this. Based on this update, relocating dinghy storage at Sandy Bay (if decided) would need to be postponed in the short term. Sandstone Bleachers and seawall The proposed sandstone log walling to the foreshore (approx. 170 lin.m using 500x500x2000 logs) will extend from the new bleachers / accessible ramp south down to the existing boat ramp. Timing: Late February 2020 Site Establishment June 2020 Completion Other Works Council recently completed minor landscape improvements to the front entry path to kiosk café prior to the café opening. Works included a new 1.5m wide pathway entry, garden modifications, replacement of koppers log barriers with sandstone logs; synthetic grass area for casual seating; mulching under large fig tree and some returfing. The newly renovated Clonnys Cafe looks fantastic and is well worth a visit. More office space for Manly, and more funds for the country kids supported by childrens’ charity Royal Far West.
In a clever partnership, Royal Far West is using its surplus buildings to raise funds to help kids in rural and remote Australia. Office space provider WOTSO is moving into the South Steyne buildings to provide co-working desks, office space & meeting rooms. It’s a good fit, with the Northern Beaches home to a huge number of small businesses, including lots of small-scale, work from home arrangements. In the next few years Royal Far West will develop its oceanfront buildings into something beautiful, that also provides a constant income for the charity. But all that takes time, and the WOTSO partnership means the buildings are being maintained and put to good use in the meantime. FINAL OUTCOME: January 2020 "It's a good outcome", that's the general view of residents regarding the updated Manly Resident Parking Scheme, aimed at providing parking for residents in their nearby streets, and preventing the illegal on-sale of permits for a profit. While each dwelling will still be entitled to apply for up to three permits main changes are: * Two permits must be registered to the car's registration and owner's home address. * A multi-purchase permit can be used for visitors, tradies, carers etc and will also be linked the the home address of the applicant. Fees are proposed follows*: 1st Permit - $47 2nd Permit - $121 3rd Permit - $210 *The fees are are public exhibition until February 12. You can make a submission here The new scheme will be applicable as existing permits become due, as follows: Little Manly Zone 1 February 2020** Balgowlah 1 February 2020** Isthmus 1 March 2020 Ocean Beach 1 April 2020 Tower Hill + 1 May 2020 Ethel Street 1 June 2020 Fairy Bower 1 July 2020 Ivanhoe Park + 1 August 2020 ** Until the fees have been finalised both Little Manly & Balgowlah existing permits will be extended beyond the February 2020. Notification will be made via email when these permits are due for renewal. The council is working towards introducing digital permits, which will also make the trade in permits even more difficult. ============================================================= UPDATE: December 2019 After extensive community consultation, the proposed Manly Resident Parking scheme has been rewritten, with many proposed parking permit restrictions scrapped. Manly residents will now be able to apply for up to two parking permits (which will be linked to vehicle registration and address) whether they have off-street parking or not. And they will be able to apply for a third permit "in extenuating circumstances". The "visitor permit" has been re-instated: one will be available for each household and it will now be linked to that specific residence, but not to a specific car. Linking permits either to a car or a household has been introduced to stop on-selling of permits, which has been a major problem. Businesses can apply for permits, but they will be limited to one each. Some special issue permits will be available for schools, charities, clubs etc, but their numbers will be reduced and applications must be made in writing. Other changes from our existing system are that only motor vehicles (no boats, trailers or caravans) will be eligible for permits, and the price of permits will rise. While Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) is pushing for changes to Manly’s non-compliant parking scheme (there are many more permits issued than street parking spaces available), the Council has recognised that Manly is different, and will now implement only small and gradual changes to the scheme. The updated framework is on display on the Council's Your Say web page, and is open for comments until 24th November. After that it will go to Council for ratification. You can download and view the proposed revised scheme below:
19/4/2019 Post: Those residents living in areas with restricted parking are about to have their parking permits reviewed in an effort by the Northern Beaches Council to bring the long-running scheme in line with Roads & Maritime Services Parking Permit Mandatory Guidelines. Currently there are less than 5000 on-street parking spaces, with over 10,000 permits issued. The ten areas affected are Little Manly, Balgowlah, Tower Hill, Tower Hill Extension, Ocean Beach, The Isthmus (CBD), Fairy Bower, Ivanhoe Park, Ivanhoe Park Extension and Ethel Street. The Guidelines state that only residents who have no off-street parking (or a residence that could not be reasonably modified to provide on-site parking space(s), are entitled to an on street permit - and only one. Also, the number of permits are not to exceed the number of spaces available! This will be a big task for council staff who will explore the issues residents face in finding parking, while also providing parking for tradies and visitors and regular carers of the elderly or young children. The first step will be consulting with existing permit holders as well as undertaking an audit of off-street parking options. Current permit holders will receive an email from Council in the coming weeks inviting their input, and face-to-face meetings will be available at the Manly Town Hall.
A copy of the RMS Guidelines are attached.
UPDATE: In a big win for Little Manly, Northern Beaches Council has accepted my motion to knock down the house at No 40 Stuart St and add the land to the beachfront park next door. Councillors also agreed to reclassify the block as 'Community Land', which safeguards it as open space. Demolition work will not begin until 2022/23, but the reclassification process will start right away, putting an end to years of community angst that the property would be sold off. The extra land opens up exciting possibilities for the popular park, including relocating the access ramp, which frees up more space again. As part of the Little Manly Masterplan process a draft plan has already been prepared by council staff (see below) with this possibility in mind. This step is in line with a 40-year vision to return this part of the harbour foreshore to the public. Thanks also to residents and groups Save Little Manly Foreshore & Manly Community Forum who have fought for years to keep the vision alive. No 40 was purchased by the former Manly Council in 2012 for $4.2M. It has since been rented out for $100,000 a year to part way offset the debt. 12/8/2019: Enhancement, Not Changes, for Little Manly A revamp of Little Manly Reserves is one step closer after Northern Beaches Council completed a second round of community consultation this month. But not much will change after strong community feedback that Little Manly is almost perfect as it is. Council staff have tailored the draft masterplan to make ‘minor adjustments’ only, meaning the area’s laid-back ‘look and feel’ will be kept and much-loved Little Manly Kiosk will stay the same. Potential ‘adjustments’ include; New toilet facilities at Little Manly Point park, located at the top near the carpark. The end of the point, now used on both sides for fishing and barbeques, will be upgraded with landscaping, shade trees, sandstone wall seating – like East Esplanade, and viewing seats. The existing playground will get a revamp. At Little Manly beach itself, a new path will be built in front of the kiosk to fix the choke point caused by the accessible access path going right through the middle of the café. There will also be more shade trees, but none blocking the Marshall St harbour sight lines, new decking around the Norfolk Island pine, and better access to the beach down the main steps. Repositioning the swings, and adding more seating, depends on community feedback. Images clockwise from top left: two views of Little Manly Point, space around this Norfolk Is pine to be enhanced by decking, Little Manly beach from Stuart St with clear harbour sight lines. The unclear future of No 40 Stuart St – the council-owned block next to the open space – has generated community concern that it was about to be sold off. That won’t happen, according to Cr Candy Bingham with the Northern Beaches Council committed to protecting public open space. The situation will continue as it is – with No 40 rented out, and generating about $100,000 per annum, until the loan to purchase the property is substantially paid off. The other council-owned house – No 34 Stuart St – is also up for review, with council canvassing ideas for community use of the property. Any new use would be limited to recreational or educational activities, with final selection to be made by a public tender process. Improvements are planned for the nearby kayak and boat storage areas to make better use of space. Other recommendations include widening a narrow section of the footpath on the beach side of Stuart St, and a possible new footpath through No 34 to move pedestrians away from busy Craig Ave. Parking in Stuart St may be reduced from eight hours to four and traffic calming put in place. In the water, powered boats may be kept out of swimming areas. Images: Boat ramp access to beach, narrow footpath on Craig Ave Northern Beaches Counillor Candy Bingham praised staff for listening to the community as they drew up the plan.
“Most people love this area as it is, so what they have done very effectively is that they haven’t changed things so much as enhanced things," Cr Bingham said. “The opportunity of this round of consultation is that it will just tweak things and I’m sure the community will be absolutely delighted with the final outcome”. Council staff will now review submissions from the consultation process and complete the Masterplan accordingly. It will be presented to Council for adoption later this year. The Northern Beaches needs more public halls. That's no surprise to most of us but now it's official, with a Council report finding a lack of community spaces for hire. As well some existing facilities are in poor condition, or away from central locations with poor public transport or parking. It turns out Manly Ward is worst affected, with relatively fewer community centres than anywhere else on the Peninsula. At the moment Manly has no real community space and Balgowlah doesn't have a single council-managed hall for hire. The good news is that a major revamp of the old 'Fishos' site (pictured above), at the corner of Raglan and Kangaroo Streets is already underway. The $1M refit will be finished next year and will create a new home for Community Northern Beaches (previously Manly Community Centre), when their existing home in Wentworth St returns to Manly Public School. A new community hub fo local support services will also be created. As well, the Manly Youth Centre building next door, is under renovation. The council will also develop a masterplan to transform the Seaforth Community Centre into a multipurpose facility, and investigate whether Council-owned properties in Balgowlah town centre can be re-purposed for community space. Good For Manly President Candy Bingham said Manly Town Hall also has a major role to play. "My council initiative has now opened up the beautiful first-floor hall for public hire," Deputy Mayor Bingham said. "And in the long-term I'm working to transform the space into a venue that Manly can be proud of. A performance space, art gallery, museum or cinema are all possibilities. It's very exciting." Images: Town Hall exterior; First floor former council chambers. You can download the Council's Draft Community Centres Strategy (Oct 2019) here:
UPDATE: Pominent Australian architecture firm COX Architecture has been appointed lead consultant for the transformation of old Manly Hospital site. The firm, which won a competitive tender for the job, will be responsible for the masterplan and rezoning of the site to create a new 'health and wellbeing' precinct. The firm will work with Property NSW, NSW Health, National Parks & Wildlife Service and community representatives and is expected to deliver a masterplan to Northern Beaches Council next year. The plan will also be put on exhibition for public comment. COX Architecture is a multi-disciplinary firm which integrates architecture, planning, urban design and interior design. It has been involved in many large-scale projects, including the recently-released concept design for the passenger terminal at Western Sydney International Airport 3/10/2019: Heritage buildings will be preserved and a masterplan will be developed for the old Manly Hospital site. That's the promise from Property NSW after a tour of the site for community group members today. Project manager Tahlee Smith gave a guarantee that all heritage listed elements on site would be preserved, including most of the 'main building' (where admissions and emergency used to be) and the gateway arches which marked the original hospital entrance (both pictured below). She said the buildings would be restored to their former glory, with the old entrance reinstated, if possible, as the gateway to the new precinct. Part of Building No 15 (previously Outpatients and Physiotherapy), Parkhill Cottage (previously respite care for Alzheimer's patients) and a long sandstone wall next to the site of the proposed Adolescent and Young Adult Hospice will also be retained. As well, the well-known five-sided kiosk building may be retained despite its not having a heritage status. Images: The proposed site of the new hospice, and artist's impression of the completed building.
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AuthorCandy Bingham, Deputy Mayor & Manly Ward Councillor on Northern Beaches Council. Background in marketing, public relations and community engagement. Author of five business books. Former Lady Mayoress of Sydney. Aka Candy Tymson. ........................................
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