26thJuly 2017   Edition Two

In this edition:
In this issue: Picnic for Trees, Beecroft shops, Beecroft gardens, Council Elections, Council amalgamation,  a new child care centre for Cheltenham and  the Spring Walk.
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President’s comment.
Taking on the President’s role has kept me busy with plenty of day to day matters that are worth reporting on.  I had a productive meeting with our State Member Damien Tudehope last week. I requested that he contacts Transport NSW to make sure there is communication between the State Rail designers and Hornsby Council’s landscape architects regarding the siting of the Beecroft Station lift and ramps. I’ll be meeting with our Federal MP Julian Leeser in September.
Bag free Beecroft has developed its own momentum.  Fingers crossed, I sincerely hope it will continue.  Who remembers growing up when plastic did not exist?  I have been involved in Clean Up Australia for many years and I am amazed how much non-biodegradable material is circulating in our environment. Every wrapper seems to be lined with some amount of plastic or aluminium foil and while we tend to pick up the more visible cans and bottles there is an increasing percentage of small pieces that get missed.  Wouldn’t it be nice if ALL politicians were more visionary and encouraged technology to address this issue?  Perhaps we haven’t reached the point when the proverb ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ applies, but bear in mind we are only custodians of our environment for a relatively short time compared to the time frame required for our footprints to disappear.      
Reminder, Picnic for Trees to celebrate National Tree Day.          
       

This coming Sunday July 30th the Trust, in conjunction with other community groups, will be holding Picnic for Trees in the Beecroft Village Green.
The activities will start about 11.30 am and finish about 1.30pm.  Besides a tree planting ceremony of another White Mahogany similar to last year, there will be a sausage BBQ plus a number of children’s activities with a wildlife focus. Hornsby Council will be providing 27 Lilly Pilly Cascades for planting. The formalities will be minimal, with the emphasis instead on families bringing a picnic lunch and meeting up with the local community. All welcome of course.
Beecroft shopping centre update.    
The new Beecroft Place is nearing completion with the crane removed this past weekend. Hannah Street had to be closed off so a huge crane could be positioned on the street to slowly lower dismantled sections of the crane from the roof of the shopping centre.  The opening date for Woolies, the anchor tenant, is likely to be on September 19th.  We have all heard the announcement that Woolworths and Coles propose to ban plastic bags from mid next year.  This is great news and the Trust thinks the residents of Beecroft with the Bag free Beecroft campaign, should take some credit in influencing their decision.  We thank all those who have contacted Woolworths and applied pressure, including Damien Tudehope our local MP.

The manufacture of reusable shopping bags has taken off.  It’s great to see so many of the local ladies getting together in the local church hall and having a sewing bee.  This social engagement has become just as wonderful as the plastic bag campaign.                      
  

   
Photographs by Michael Bianchino.
Beecroft Gardens and Community Hall Carpark Design.
Just a reminder that the exhibition period for the planned design has been extended a week till 28th July. The garden design incorporates a ping pong table and has been amended to incorporate more grassed areas with the use of sandstone rather than coloured concrete. The carpark design is still controversial.
To view the plans and documentation and to make a submission if desired, click here
Hornsby Council elections on Saturday 9th September.
Another reminder that you have to vote on September 9th if you are north of the M2 and are still part of Hornsby Council.  Beecroft residents now in Cumberland Council do not have to vote even though other wards of Cumberland Council will be voting.  Refer to http://www.votensw.info/is_my_council_holding_an_election
 
The Trust will be holding a Meet the Candidates evening and has booked the Beecroft Bowling Club for Tuesday night 29th August starting 7.30 pm. Remember you will need to vote for 3 councillors for our redefined C Ward and for a Mayor.  If you wish to register as a candidate or want to know the new boundaries of C Ward , click here 


Residents are reminded that with the changes to the ward boundaries, Cherrybrook is now part of C Ward.  On Saturday 22nd July, a public meeting was held at the Cherrybrook Community Centre to promote "People before Politics". Many local residents expressed their frustration with the present consultation processes.  They feel the concerns of the community are not being heard and that this is a problem at all levels of government. Many of those present were also most unhappy with the continued push for increased density in residential and urban areas, with little or scant plans to increase infrastructure to support the resultant growth. The organisers called for more residents to stand as independent Councillors as they feel politics presently dictates many Council decisions. This year's upcoming Council elections will indeed be interesting and will impact on voting patterns in C Ward!

Seniors Development at 6-8 Malton Rd. DA/1257/2016/.

The Trust wants to thank everyone for lodging objections to the Seniors Housing Development proposed at 6-8 Malton Rd Beecroft.  The DA proposed to demolish the 2 existing houses that contribute to the Beecroft Heritage Precinct and are worthy of retention. Council has rejected that proposal.  However an amended DA has now been submitted for consideration that proposes to retain the two houses, convert them to seniors housing and build an additional residential complex in the rear. It is still a seniors housing application so the DA has to be assessed under the state planning legislation and not just Council’s LEP. The Trust will assess this new proposal over the coming week. Click here for details of the new application. 
You can compare the early design with the new one as all documents are listed in chronological order.
Latest on the Council Amalgamation.
The Trust is still none the wiser as to what, if anything, is likely to happen regarding amalgamation, after raising the matter with Hornsby Council and the member for Epping, Damien Tudehope. Being left unresolved, the resultant situation is helping no one. As a result Council has resolved to formally write to the Minister for Local Government. See extract from minutes of July 12th.
RESOLVED ON THE MOTION OF COUNCILLOR RUSSELL, seconded by COUNCILLOR TILBURY, THAT:
  • 1. The Acting General Manager be delegated authority to finalise a proposal under Section 218E of the Local Government Act in line with the information contained in Deputy General Manager’s Report No. CS23/17 and to submit such a proposal to the Minister for Local Government.
  • 2. The Acting General Manager be delegated authority to prepare and submit an additional proposal under Section 218E of the Local Government Act for the transfer of the current City of Parramatta Council area bounded by the M2 Motorway, Midson Road, Terry Road, Epping Avenue, Wingate Avenue, Ball Avenue, Blaxland Road and Terrys Creek to Hornsby Shire Council. 3. Council write to the Minister for Local Government and the State Members for Hornsby and Epping seeking a meeting to discuss the financial impact of the stalled amalgamation process on Hornsby Shire to date.
This was all extremely confusing to those residents present at the meeting as Point 2 above was a last minute inclusion to the motion on the night.  A resident from Beecroft asked whether ALL of Beecroft was included in the areas requested to be returned and the Mayor answered "Yes it does, it does". However, Point 2 means not all of Beecroft south of the M2 was requested to be returned in this motion.  The Trust is disappointed that this amended motion was passed because it tends to smack of hypocrisy.  Background papers attached to the item argued financial as well as historic community ties being the reason for the transfer back. But the amended motion ignores the strong community ties associated with Beecroft and appears to focus on financial needs only.  We hope this amended motion is ignored by the Minister.
Former Congregational Church at 179 Beecroft Rd. Cheltenham is to Become a Child Care Centre.
The Hornsby Council meeting held Wednesday night 12th July, approved the development application for a childcare centre at 179 Beecroft Rd.  The former Congregational church which was sold by Council in 2015, is heritage listed and will be sympathetically adapted for its new use.  Whilst the removal of several large trees was seen as a sad loss, the most controversial issue on the night centred around the existing traffic problems in the Promenade. As a consequence Council resolved on the night to meet with representatives from the high school, the two child care centres and the Civic Trust to work out a better way of managing traffic in the future.
Coming Events in August September and October.......
 Rotary and Council are working together to repair the damaged sun dial that is located in the Village Green. 
The unveiling by Mayor Steve Russell, is programmed for Sunday 24th August.
Lock in Sunday 29th October for the Trust’s annual Spring Walk.  Traditionally held between 2pm and 5pm, we try to lead a walk that is both topical and different, with afternoon tea provided.  More details next month. 
Trust Membership Subscriptions and eNews...
Keep our two suburbs strong and informed by being a member in 2017!
 

To renew your membership for 2017, please send a cheque with your phone and email details to PO Box 31, Beecroft 2119, OR credit our bank account directly:
BSB 062-113 10068238, using your name as a reference.  Please also send an email to treasurer@2119.org.au advising that you have updated your membership for 2017.   Donations are also gratefully accepted.


Just a reminder that membership is due in April each year. For those who have already paid, many thanks. Household Membership: only $20 per year; Pensioner/Single Resident: $10 per year.

The eNews is becoming our main method for disseminating information to the community. Currently we have over 1020 email addresses, up from 900 two months ago.  We encourage residents who receive the eNews to tell their neighbours and friends. The eNews letter is available to all who subscribe.  Trust Membership is not a requirement.
At this stage, the Trust will continue to distribute the printed bulletin as not everyone uses the internet.  
 
The Trust has always had an unwritten policy to assist any resident regardless of their membership status.
Kind regards,
Ross Walker

President
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