Central Coast Council has started construction of Stage 1 of a $2.2million project to ease traffic congestion in the Terrigal CBD, which continues to grow as a tourism, residential and commercial hub for the region.The project has been made possible by the NSW Government’s Stronger Communities Fund and focuses on Church Street, Campbell Crescent, Kurrawyba Avenue and the Terrigal Esplanade.Council Acting Director Assets Infrastructure and Business, Boris Bolgoff said this important project would be delivered in a way that will minimise the impact on residents, tourists and local businesses.“We understand how important it is for our community and tourists to be able to access Terrigal and the many businesses that operate in the area,” Mr Bolgoff said.“Traffic control will be on site to keep traffic flowing, there will be minimal impact on parking, and we will wrap up this stage of the project by October and the start of the busy summer period.”Mayor Jane Smith said the project would help ensure Terrigal’s position as a destination of choice for the Central Coast community and tourists.“Terrigal is a much loved and often visited location on the Central Coast and this project will deliver significant traffic flow improvements,” Mayor Smith said.“Council has spent a lot of time consulting with the community to design a project which will keep Terrigal well and truly open for business during these important works.”Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch said the traffic flow improvements would improve beachfront access for locals and visitors alike.“As one of the most visited tourist destinations on the Central Coast it is vital that Terrigal be easily accessible to all, and I am pleased that Council widely consulted on these traffic changes and adapted the plans accordingly,” Mr Crouch said.“I strongly encourage local residents and business owners to continue providing feedback to Council to ensure the delivery of this project aligns with our community’s expectations.The project focuses on a 500 metre stretch of road from Campbell Crescent around Church Street to Kurrawyba Avenue and includes a new roundabout, new pedestrian traffic lights, modified kerb and guttering and a new road pavement.Traffic looping is currently a major cause of congestion in Terrigal and this will be addressed by preventing traffic from turning right onto Terrigal Esplanade from Campbell Crescent.Measures to minimise the impact of construction on the area will include a small daily construction footprint, maintaining traffic flow and pedestrian access and conducting critical works at night on the quieter trading evenings in Terrigal.If for any reason the works are delayed, the construction area will be minimised and work will recommence after Easter 2019 to avoid the busy holiday periods.

Central Coast Council is bringing the popular outdoor ice skating rink back to Gosford and turning Kibble Park into a wintery wonderland for the Coast to enjoy.From 11-18 July, families can head down to ‘Winter in the Park’ and join in the many free activities including snow play, live shows and entertainment.Council Unit Manager Community Partnerships, Glenn Cannard, said families are invited to come along and make the most of this free event with the family.“This is a fun, free event run by Council which brings families together during the colder months.” Mr Cannard said.“We receive a lot of positive feedback on running these types of events which help keep the family entertained, create memories, build a stronger community and support local businesses.“There will be free activities, live entertainment, food stalls as well as the popular outdoor ice skating rink and we invite families on the Coast to save the date, come down to Kibble Park and join in the fun.”DJ Jazzy and some of the Coast’s local dancers will be performing the exciting ‘Whacky Winter Wonderland Show’ and for the aspiring young DJ’s on the Coast, there will be the opportunity to test your DJ skills on the latest equipment.Papa Smurf and Smurfette will be making an appearance with a special stage performance, the GBID Mad Hatter's Tea Party will be back, the Fun Engine Fire Education Truck will open its doors to those who are keen to learn more about fire safety, and on 11 and 13 July, Star 104.5 will run some free arts and craft activities and set up ‘The Star Chalet’ with marquees, lounges, props and music.To view the full program or for more information visit centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/eventsThe outdoor ice skating rink will be open daily from 10am-8pm with 45 minute sessions starting on the hour.

Central Coast Council has distributed 2,500 reusable litter bags to local businesses in the vicinity of roadside litter hotspots in an effort to remind motorists to dispose of waste responsibly.This is one approach Council has taken as part of a multi-pronged litter prevention project, to help protect and enhance the local environment.Council Unit Manager Learning and Education, Beth Burgess, is encouraging motorists to utilise the bags that are available around the three roadside litter hotspots at Blue Haven Link Road, Somersby Industrial Park and Kariong M1 on ramp.“Littering of single use containers and bottles has become and major issue in these locations as identified in the Central Coast Roadside Litter Project,” Mrs Burgess said.“These bags provide motorists and their passengers a cleaner alternative to keeping containers, coffee cups and drink bottles without the worry about any leftover food or drinks spilling in their vehicles.“Once motorists reach their destination, the bags can be easily picked up in one go for rubbish to be disposed of responsibly – the bags can then be rinsed and reused.”The bags were purchased as part of a $36,000 NSW Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Litter Grant to help tackle the growing issue of roadside litter on the Central Coast.Grant funding has also gone towards the installation of roadside signs at each target site reminding motorists how to report littering from vehicles as well as 19 new dash cams in Ranger vehicles, increasing motorists chances of being caught littering.Mrs Burgess emphasised the issue of litter is not one Council can tackle alone and urged all residents and visitors to make sure they are doing their part to help protect our waterways and valleys from plastics and pollution.“Council are leading by example, monitoring and cleaning up target areas, providing free reusable coffee cups and increasing Ranger patrols,” Mrs Burgess said.“We need the whole community to get behind this project to help stop littering and help preserve our local environment.”Visit centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/littering to find out where reusable litter bags are available, information on helping to prevent litter and how to report littering from a vehicle.This project is a NSW EPA Waste Less, Recycle More initiative funded from the waste levy, an extension of the current Mountain District Roadside Litter Project and supports Council’s promotion of the EPA’s Don’t be a Tosser campaign.

As of 1 July 2018, parents are now able to redeem their Active Kids Rebate for Central Coast Council’s learn to swim and sporting programs at five leisure centres.The $100 voucher – which can be used on fees for after-school, weekend sport and structured physical activity programs – will be redeemable at Gosford Olympic Pool, Peninsula Leisure Centre, Toukley Aquatic Centre, Lake Haven Recreation Centre and Wyong Olympic Pool.Council Connected Communities Director, Julie Vaughan said that having the Active Kids Rebate redeemable at these five leisure centres is one way Council is able to help encourage and enhance the physical activity of children and young people on the Central Coast.“Now, every family on the Central Coast with a child enrolled in school from Kindergarten to year 12 will be able to access the Active Kids Rebate at our leisure centres,” Ms Vaughan said.“The cost of swimming lessons can sometimes be prohibitive for parents but by using this voucher you can help teach your child the invaluable skill of being able to swim and stay safe in our pools and beaches.”Mayor Jane Smith said it is welcoming news that Council is now able to support this initiative through its leisure centres.“Council aims to provide outstanding leisure opportunities and programs in swimming, fitness and sports for all of the Central Coast community, in a healthy, fun filled and family friendly environment,” said Mayor Smith.“Being able to redeem this $100 voucher at five of our leisure centres means that Council is able to help kids on the Coast get more active!”A NSW Government initiative, the Active Kids Rebate is a voucher system provided to parents/guardians of school enrolled children.One Active Kids voucher is available for every child in the family annually over the next four years.Parents are able to apply for and download their vouchers from the Service NSW website.

Straight from the horse's mouth – Central Coast Council is proud to support the third annual Horses Birthday Festival on the Central Coast.The 2018 Horses Birthday Festival is on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 July at Glenworth Valley and celebrates the standardised birthday for every horse in the southern hemisphere (1 August).Council Director, Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan said the Festival is an innovative, popular event that is unique in New South Wales.“Glenworth Valley Outdoor Adventures is one of the Central Coast’s leading tourist attractions and the Horses Birthday Festival is a fun, unique event that helps position our region as a year-round holiday destination.” Ms Vaughan said.“Council is proud to support these types of events that bring our community together and attract visitors to the Coast during the off-peak season to drive economic and tourism objectives for the region.

Central Coast Council Library Service launched its museum-quality Spike Milligan Exhibition at Woy Woy Library last week at a special event.Council has created this new Exhibition paying tribute to the beloved entertainer, his family and the Woy Woy region as well as changes to the amenity and functionality of the Library.Council Local History Librarian, Geoff Potter, said the Exhibition holds a culturally significant collection of family photographs, recordings and memorabilia, with something for everyone.“This unique Exhibition offers a visually engaging, informative and interactive experience to be enjoyed by locals and visitors alike,” Mr Potter said.“A feature of the Exhibition space is a small theatrette where a brand new short film ‘The Milligans of Woy Woy’, which has been created especially for this project, will be shown.“This important collection pays tribute to the legacy of the world-famous comedian Terence ‘Spike’ Milligan and the lives of his parents Flo and Leo and brother Desmond, shedding light on the development of the wonderful Milligan world view.“Spike and his family had a very special connection to Woy Woy and the surrounding suburbs.“His parents emigrated to Australia in 1950 and even though it took almost a decade for Spike to visit his parents, when he finally did it is no surprise he fell in love with the area.“Even though he was born in India and grew up in England, Spike considered the Central Coast his home and he loved nothing more than to visit family, write and relax here.“Spike was supportive of many local organisations including the Woy Woy Little Theatre, Woy Woy Rotary Club and the Gosford City Orchestra as well as a major activist in the 1970s campaign to preserve Riley’s Island near Davistown from real estate development.“Many remember his role in helping to preserve the former St.

Central Coast Council’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Gary Murphy officially started in his new role today, taking over the reins from Brian Glendenning.Mr Murphy said he is looking forward to the challenges and opportunities of leading one of the largest councils in the state.“I believe in collaboration.

With HSC trials just around the corner, Central Coast Council Library Service are doing their part to reduce stress felt by students and parents with free online tutoring at the click of a button.The hugely successful ‘Studiosity’ program provides instant support from qualified professionals alleviating the worry students often feel while studying alone.Acting Unit Manager Libraries, Beth Burgess, said students feel enormous amounts of pressure to perform and get the marks required for university entry.“With Studiosity, students can study efficiently and obtain real-time assistance to ask questions they are not able to direct to their teachers, parents or friends,” Mrs Burgess said.“Students can also upload draft essays and written assignments and receive expert feedback within 24 hours, perfect for improving English papers.“With this amazing free service for library members, parents can rest at ease knowing professionals are there to help with advanced HSC subjects.“Free services like this are essential for our community to succeed, building confidence in students and supporting families during this critical year of study.”Last year, students who logged on to Studiosity through Council’s Library Service portal reported a 100 per cent satisfaction for feedback to their uploaded draft essays and written assignments.Studiosity Partnerships Director, Scott Harrison guaranteed parents that only vigorously screened, suitably qualified and trained individuals make it to become a Studiosity Subject Specialist.“Every applicant goes through a gruelling series of checks and tests to ensure students are being helped by quality professionals such as school teachers, university graduates, and professionals who really want to help students succeed,” Mr Harrison said.“What makes Studiosity different to other online learning tools is that students are never told the answers.

The 2018 Harvest Festival Central Coast, held over the June long weekend, attracted over 16,000 people and boosted the economy of the Central Coast by $3.7 million.This is the second year Central Coast Council has hosted the unique event with local producers promoting the hidden gems of the region’s hinterland.Council Unit Manager Community Partnerships, Glenn Cannard, said this was a fantastic result for the community and for the Central Coast as a whole.“We saw a 60 percent increase in visitors from the inaugural event last year which attracted 10,000 people – this is a fantastic result and shows word is spreading about this great Festival.“For the second year, event statistics show a high level of interest from out-of-region visitation to our local farming properties and this has positively impacted local businesses and the economy.“Harvest Festival is an innovative event model built around community partnerships and ownership.

Central Coast Council is offering young singers and singer/songwriters the opportunity to step into the spotlight through a unique competition starting on Friday 6 July.The Discovered vocal competition is a professional development series which helps singers aged 7-24 years find their voice, develop their skills, step up to the microphone and onto the road to potential stardom.Council Director Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan, said the competition had proved hugely successful and many past participants have gone on to compete in national competitions such as ‘The Voice’ and ‘Australia’s Got Talent’ and to make their mark in the music industry.“Discovered is much more than just a singing competition, which really is the key to its success,” Ms Vaughan said.“It is a stepping stone to future stardom with every young person who enters receiving feedback about their performance and how they can further develop.“The workshops also connect them with experienced professionals who can provide valuable insights into the music industry.”Based at The Hub Erina Youth Entertainment Venue, the Discovered program has been running for seven years.

Council has adopted an increased capital works budget for the next financial year by $50,000 from the publically exhibited capital works budget and allocated funding to major projects following community consultation on its three year Delivery Program and one year Operational Plan and Budget.Council received 173 submissions during the exhibition period of the plan and has allocated, from the Shared Pathway and Footpath Program, $250,000 to Shaun Brinklow Park at Copacabana and $150,000 for the concept design and community engagement for the Tuggerawong Pathway including detailed design of stage 1.

In an effort to attract more high-quality acts and performances to The Entrance, Central Coast Council is set to start construction this July on a roof extension over the existing Memorial Park stage facility.Council Director, Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan, said that the extension is a welcome upgrade to Memorial Park and The Entrance Town Centre.“By providing enhanced protection to stage users from climatic events, Council will be able to better facilitate the execution of a broader range of attractions, events and activities on the stage,” Ms Vaughan said.“Additionally, the extension of the stage roof will provide an improved amenity in The Entrance Town Centre, with the upgrade also including accompanying infrastructure, such as additional power outlets and lighting.”Mayor Jane Smith said Council is committed to increasing tourism opportunities in the region, and the roof extension, along with other projects in Memorial Park and The Entrance Town Centre, is aligned with this commitment.“The visitor economy on the Central Coast makes a positive contribution to the community through building local pride, youth employment, and supporting local events and community infrastructure,” Mayor Smith said.“This project will increase economic, community and tourism development opportunities within The Entrance Town Centre, by allowing Council to host more significant and major events.”This project will cost $190,000 from Council’s capital works budget and is due to be completed by September 2018.

Central Coast Council has launched a new program of events and activities to help families plan for, and stay entertained, these July school holidays.Council Director, Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan said the launch of Council’s new full program of School Holiday events will make it easy for families and visitors to find out what’s on across the Coast and how they can get involved.“Central Coast Council run and support many events across the Coast which are important in bringing our community together and in supporting local people and local businesses.” Ms Vaughan said.“Our research shows that people look to Council to see ‘What’s On’ across the Coast and how they can get involved so we have pulled all our school holiday events and activities into one into one easy-to-understand program for the community.“The Council July School Holidays Program lists a combination of free and paid events including live shows and entertainment, football clinics, graphic design and film editing classes as well as hands-on craft activities and Green Living workshops.“We are delighted to run these events for the community to help keep the family entertained and make planning easier these school holidays.”Free live entertainment and activities will be on daily at The Entrance including dinosaur workshops, crocodile encounters, circus skills and special performances by the hit Australian children’s television show ‘dirtgirlworld’.

Council adopts first ever Community Strategic Plan for the regionCouncil has adopted the first ever Community Strategic Plan for the region, titled One – Central Coast.The plan represents the culmination of 18 months of extensive consultation with the community and establishes a road map for the future of the Central Coast over the next decade.Mayor Jane Smith said the process to develop the Coast’s first ever Community Strategic Plan engaged many thousands of people in the local community and is a true representation of what our community think, feel, want and value.“The adoption of the first Community Strategic Plan for the Central Coast is significant in many ways,” Mayor Smith said.“It is the first single plan that defines the priorities of our community and represents a considered and evidence-based roadmap for the future of the Central Coast.“It defines the environmental and social qualities the community have told us they love about the Central Coast and provides a clear path of action for what Council needs to prioritise and deliver to meet the needs of our growing population.The Plan comprises five key themes based on this vision that encapsulate the voice and values of the Central Coast community:BelongingSmartGreenResponsibleLiveableThe Plan also defines a Community vision – “We are One Central Coast.

Construction is now underway at Gosford Lions Park to modernise the memorial, increase usability and accessibility of the park and play space, and provide an overall upgrade to this foreshore area.The improvement works at the Masons Parade site include the re-establishment of the Lions Club monument to commemorate the centenary of Lions Clubs International, replacement of the existing play space and picnic tables, a new path way providing a link to the park furniture and BBQ area, upgrade of shelter sheds, and landscaping works.General access through the park and foreshore area will remain open, however areas will be closed at times to allow for individual works to be carried out.The park and foreshore upgrade works are to be staged over a five month construction period, which started on 8 June.The play space upgrade is also planned for completion by the end of 2018-19 financial year through Council’s Delivery Plan.The project is jointly funded by the NSW Government’s Community Building Partnership program, Central Coast Council, and Gosford City-East Gosford Lions Club.

Central Coast Council is encouraging families to ‘stay in the swim’ through the winter season as three of its leisure centres continue to build their children’s swimming ability to stay safe on the Coast.Council Connected Communities Director, Julie Vaughan said keeping children swimming throughout all months of the year is important, as water safety is a year-round concern.“The dangers of water do not disappear when the weather gets colder, so keeping our children’s skills at an optimum level is our best defence,” said Ms Vaughan.“Additionally, winter swimmers make for future champions!

Traffic flow and parking have been identified as key themes emerging from the ‘Let’s talk Terrigal’ community consultation held earlier this year.During the consultation period, Council received 136 submissions from 116 individual stakeholders and over 200 community members attended two information session held at Terrigal Surf Club.Council Acting Director Assets Infrastructure and Business, Boris Bolgoff, said that based on the community consultation, Council had revised the design of Stage 1 of the works which will kick off on Monday 2 July.“We have listened to the concerns and suggestions from the community, and with due consideration to technical constraints, costs and the overarching project objectives have made changes to address community concerns,” Mr Bolgoff said.“The key changes Council has made to the original plans presented to the community include allowing Terrigal Esplanade to remain open to traffic all year round.

Central Coast Council is urging Coast residents to be part of the solution in reducing graffiti in our community.Free graffiti removal kits are available from all Central Coast libraries and Wyong and Gosford Customer Service Centres.

Central Coast Council is undertaking a flood study within the contributing catchments of the Green Point, West Gosford, Point Clare, Koolewong and Woy Woy Bay urban areas.The study will identify flash flooding ‘trouble spots’ and assess what measures are required to reduce the risk of flooding during significant storm events.Council Acting Senior Manager Property and Asset Management, Brett Sherar, said Council was seeking the community’s help to collect information on past flooding experiences and local flood knowledge to help with the selection of flood reduction measures.“These suburbs have been identified as priority areas and this study will focus on stormwater that overwhelms the drainage network causing flash flooding and inundation from elevated water levels,” Mr Sherar said.“Local knowledge and experience in times of flash flooding is critical to the success of this study.“We would really like as many residents in these affected areas as possible to contribute to this study by completing the questionnaire, sharing their stories, photos or videos of flood events so we can gain a complete understating of flooding in these local areas.“Even if you are new to the area, your thoughts and opinions regarding how you would react in the case of a flash flooding event are important to this study, so please take the time to take part.”Residents in areas covered by the study will receive a letter from Council containing a paper based survey and a reply paid envelope.

Central Coast Council is running a series of project planning and grant-writing workshops to help community organisations maximise their chance of securing much needed grant funding.Experienced non-profit trainer Natalie Bramble will lead the free community workshops.