Local not-for-profit community organisation, The Central Coast Potters Society (CCPS), is celebrating 50 years with a special exhibition at Gosford Regional Gallery opening this week.The Central Coast Council is pleased to support ‘Lines of Inspiration’, an exhibition which reflects on the long line of local clay workers and pays tribute to those members who continue to carry the society’s vision forward.Council Unit Manager Leisure & Lifestyle, Phil Cantillon, said the exhibition was inspired by the work of founding member Joan Matthews, ‘Raku Vessel’, which forms the centrepiece of the display.“The ‘Lines of Inspiration’ exhibition was conceived to celebrate the collective wealth of knowledge and inspiration passed down through 50 years of the Potters Society.” Mr Cantillon said.“The Society started with just five members in 1968 and over thirty members were involved in this special exhibition.“Much clay has passed through many hands since the CCPS was established and this exhibition is a fitting way to celebrate the society’s rich history with the Central Coast community.”The CCPS is a non-profit organisation that was established on the Australia Day weekend in 1968 by five locals;

Memorial Park at the Entrance is undergoing some upgrade works to ensure higher utilisation and sheltered seating spaces for the community – so everyone can enjoy the great Aussie recreational pastime that is the sausage sizzle.With works having commenced on Monday 21 May, the project will include the demolition of the current awnings and barbeques, replacing them with modern awning structures, barbeques and accessible dining settings.

Central Coast photographers will have many opportunities to enhance their technical and creative skills as part of the 2018 Exposure Photographic Program.

Central Coast Council Libraries are calling on parents and carers of young children to ‘Find yourself in a library’, which is the theme for this year’s Library and Information Week 2018.To coincide with this national event, Libraries and Council’s Childcare Centres will be launching Parker the Platypus’ eagerly awaited second book, ‘Parker visits the Library’, as part of the Paint the Central Coast REaD initiative.Acting Unit Manager Libraries, Beth Burgess, explained the program was aimed at educating parents, carers, and the community about the importance of reading, singing and rhyming with children every day from birth.“Literacy is a key success in life and research has shown that more than 20 per cent of Australian children arrive at school without the skills necessary to make the most of their early education,” Mrs Burgess said.“Through this program we aim to overcome this by creating a sense of excitement and enthusiasm around literacy and reading, which is exactly what Parker creates for children and families.“In this next instalment from Parker we follow him as he discovers all the fantastic services there are to enjoy through your local library.“‘Parker visits the Library’ is not only a fun and engaging story for children, it also promotes the great resources and programs available to help encourage literacy development and make reading fun.“Over the next few weeks Parker will be visiting Council childcare centres and select Storytime sessions at our libraries to personally hand out copies of his new book.“If you cannot make it don’t fear - free copies of his book will be given to children at all Babytime, Toddlertime and Storytime sessions this week.”Details on Parker’s appearances and more information on this initiative can be found at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/paintthecoastreadAnother key event Council Libraries are partaking in this week is the 18th annual National Simultaneous Storytime, which aims to promote the value of reading and literacy from a young age.This year the Australian children’s book ‘Hickory Dickory Dash’ written by Tony Wilson and illustrated by Laura Wood has been selected to be read across the country tomorrow, Wednesday 23 May.Director Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan, said event is a valuable opportunity for parents, grandparents, teachers and carers to become actively involved in their children’s learning.“Reading to children from a young age is incredibly important as it helps build the foundation to prepare them for a lifetime of learning,” Ms Vaughan said.“There are clear benefits when young children are read to frequently – children read to six or seven days a week start Kindergarten almost a year ahead of children who are not read to as often.“It also helps develop numeracy and communication skills, rational thinking and enhances concentration and discipline, all of which helps children excel at school and later in life.“If you cannot make it along on Wednesday 23 May, ‘Hickory Dickory Dash’ will be read at all of our libraries regular Storytime sessions, which include songs and crafts to motivate involvement and help children see reading as a fun pastime to be enjoyed.”Visit centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/libraries for details on National Simultaneous Storytime and regular Storytime sessions.

Central Coast Council has welcomed the State Government’s commitment today to urgently dredge the Ettalong Channel.Council called for this commitment at its last Council meeting and agreed to apply for funding under the ‘Rescuing Our Waterways’ program.  Mayor Jane Smith said she was pleased the State Government accepted responsibility to keep the Channel open and the announcement of emergency dredging was welcome news for the community.“The State Government has always had the means and the funding to be able to keep the Channel open and it is pleasing to see the Government now fulfil its responsibilities,” Mayor Smith said.

With the aim to drive more visitors to the region, AFFINITY, in partnership with the tourism industry and Central Coast Council, have officially launched the new-look website for the Central Coast destination – visitcentralcoast.com.au.As tourism is a key economic and employment generator for the Central Coast, Council has increased its investment in tourism to ensure more visitors know about the sundrenched coastline, spectacular forests, internationally acclaimed food and wines and the amazing range of services and resorts the Central Coast has to offer.Council Director Connected Communities, Ms Julie Vaughan, said Council wants to drive more visitors to the Central Coast and visitcentralcoast.com.au is a great digital asset to help deliver that.“With 88% of all Australians owning a smart phone*, a mobile ready destination website can effectively become a more practical and digital alternative to a traditional visitor guide,” Ms Vaughan said.“Visitcentralcoast.com.au does this by offering more information in a highly engaging, dynamic and usable form, ensuring visitors to the Central Coast have the ability to easily access destination based information which will encourage their dispersal throughout the region.”Mayor Jane Smith said that the vision for the Central Coast is to be the natural choice for leisure, business and special events in regional NSW.“We’re making sure everyone knows that the Central Coast is the ideal destination – be it a long weekend trip, a relaxing holiday or even a picturesque sea change,” says Mayor Smith.“This great new platform showcases all the adventures that the Central Coast has to offer including our beautiful beaches, exciting activities, natural environment and gourmet delights.”In order to ensure potential visitors to the Central Coast have a positive perception of the destination, visitcentralcoast.com.au provides local tourism businesses with the opportunity to list their offerings on this centralised destination website.

Expressions of Interests are now open for interested community members to sit on the Pedestrian Access and Mobility Advisory Committee (PAMAC);

Council calls on State Government to urgently dredge Ettalong ChannelCouncil agreed to apply for State Government funding to contribute to the cost of dredging the Ettalong Channel and called for the State Government to provide emergency funding in the short term.Mayor Jane Smith said the decision on dredging Ettalong Channel provides a clear path forward but requires the State Government to take action now.“We have agreed to apply to the State Government for Rescue Our Waterways funding,” said Mayor Smith.“It is clear that this funding will not be available for several months and that it will not cover even 50 percent of the cost of dredging Ettalong Channel.“In light of this, we are calling on the State Government to provide emergency funding in the short term to ensure Ettalong Channel remains open.“The State Government has dredged Ettalong Channel twice in the past, they have the equipment and funding to take immediate action and we calling on them to do this.“Today’s decision provides a way clear way forward for the Ettalong community, Council and the State Government.“To develop a long-term solution, we will create a working party of stakeholders to look at maintenance dredging, technical issues, environmental implications, community impacts and funding.”Council has agreed that any dredged sand be used to replenish works on adjacent beaches.Council’s community focused budget delivers $761M for the Central CoastThe 2018-19 Draft Delivery Program, Operational Plan including the budget (Plan) and draft Resourcing Strategy are among a suite of documents Central Coast Council has placed on exhibition for public comment.Read separate media release in full hereProposed Wamberal Child Care Centre refused by CouncilCouncil has refused to approve a development application for a proposed child care centre at 612 The Entrance Road, Wamberal.The development application was initially considered at a Council meeting on 18 December 2017, when Council resolved to seek additional information on a number of issues including previous traffic calming measures for Old Gosford Road and control plans relating to entry and exit driveways.

Central Coast Council contractors will start surveying the Terrigal boardwalk area from Tuesday 15 May as investigations get underway on a proposed Boardwalk to connect Terrigal Haven and The Esplanade.

The 2018-19 Draft Delivery Program, Operational Plan including the budget (Plan) and draft Resourcing Strategy are among a suite of documents Central Coast Council has placed on exhibition for public comment.Council’s Plan will deliver $561.5M in essential services and $199.8M in capital works in the priority areas, outlined in the first Community Strategic Plan (CSP) for the Central Coast – the road network;

Central Coast Council has begun building a $1.05M boardwalk in Springfield that will provide an essential link between the residential neighbourhood and the local community school.‘Chertsey Boardwalk’ will traverse Springfield Road Reserve with a three metre-wide, 80 metre-long raised walkway over the wetland, connecting Balfour Close with Willow Road.The project is jointly funded by a $679K contribution from Council and $375K from the Federal Government through its Improving Your Local Park and Environment program.The boardwalk is positioned within an identified reserve area which is prone to flooding during storm events.Council Director, Assets, Infrastructure and Business, Mike Dowling said that Council has invested in an engineered design with considered materials.“Our priority is to build sustainable infrastructure to increase the quality of life for local communities now and into the future”, Mr Dowling said.“The walkway will be constructed of a strong and durable composite fibre, ensuring that this is a long-term structure that will continue to allow safer passage for many years to come.

In order to allow for installation of new mobile shelving, the main library floor in the rear of Woy Woy Library will be inaccessible this Thursday 17 and Friday 18 May.The new shelving has been organised in conjunction with the new Spike Milligan Exhibition Space to provide more active and flexible community spaces for the community.Over the two days there will be very limited access to popular collections and limited 15 minute print facilities.

Central Coast Council has reaffirmed that it is willing assist the State Government to dredge the Ettalong Channel as long as it covers the full cost.Council is seeking to help the community better understand its position, through an education campaign including an online survey.Council has received three legal opinions about this issue and it is clear that the NSW government is responsible for the dredging of the channel for navigation purposes.

Construction is now underway at Central Coast Stadium to deliver two additional change rooms for the accommodation of multiple teams in time for the start of the 2018 A League season.Central Coast Council Director Assets, Infrastructure and Business, Mike Dowling, said that the delivery of these change rooms is another step Council is taking to continuously improve this important Central Coast asset.“The construction of these change rooms forms part of the Stadium’s long term strategy to provide ongoing improvements to the Stadium – something that is key to the longevity of the Stadium,” Mr Dowling said.“In addition to providing hirers with more facilities for use, these extra change rooms will improve both the appeal and functionality of the Stadium to a wider section of the community and in turn prove our reputation as a leading sporting, entertainment and recreational venue.”Mayor Jane Smith says that continuing to invest in upgrades to the Stadium is a key component to bringing in key events and tourism opportunities to boost the economy of the Central Coast.“Central Coast Stadium is an iconic asset for the Central Coast region and it is a priority for Council to continue to manage this asset as a quality venue for our community,” Mayor Smith said.“We would like to see more world-class sporting events on the Coast that grow interest in sport on the Coast.

Central Coast Council Lifeguard, James Koch, dominated at this year’s Australian Professional Ocean Lifeguard Association’s (APOLA) Conference at Coffs Harbour on Friday 4 May.The Conference, held at Park Beach, saw James take out first place in the Lifeguard Carnival surf race, board race and lifeguard mission, a great achievement to see out the end of the beach patrol season.Mayor Jane Smith was pleased with James’ efforts and congratulated him on a well-deserved win.“We always knew our Lifeguards were the best in the business and James’ success across all events has confirmed this,” Mayor Smith said.“I would like to congratulate James on his win and the entire Beach Safety team for another great season.”Mayor Jane Smith said the Conference, attended by a number of coastal councils across New South Wales and Gold Coast City Lifeguards, focused on beach water safety programs and the role of knowledgeable bystanders and highlighted the importance of educating the public to look out for one another.“Keeping our community safe on local beaches is a top priority and a vital tool in doing this is educating all beachgoers about how to look out for one another when in and around the surf,” Mayor Smith said.“Having the knowledge to be able to identify rips and how to react in an emergency situation is a crucial step in minimising beach incidents, especially now the beach patrol season has finished.”Central Coast Council beach patrol season came to an official close on Monday 30 April with the past summer season seeing over three million people visit the Coast’s patrolled beaches.

Central Coast Council has appointed Mr Gary Murphy as the new permanent Chief Executive Officer (CEO).New CEO Gary Murphy will commence his five year contract on Monday 2 July 2018.Mr Murphy has been a successful Chief Executive of local government organisations since 2003;

Central Coast Council will be holding a special memorial service next week, at Wamberal Cemetery, to honour mums who have passed on.Mother's Day is a day to recognise and thank our mothers for the innumerable contributions they have made to our lives.Mayor Jane Smith, who will be attending this memorial service, said that for some whose mothers have passed away, Mother’s Day can be a day of mixed emotions.“All over the Central Coast, families will come together to celebrate Mother’s Day, and pay tribute to the women in their lives.

Council is aware of community concerns in relation to the premises at 424 Mann Street, North Gosford.  Council is currently investigating these concerns and it is not appropriate for Council to comment on an ongoing compliance investigation.

This week, Central Coast Council kicked off $2,807,000 of important coastal foreshore and rehabilitation works at the southern end of Avoca Beach.  The works, funded by the NSW State Government as part of the Stronger Communities Fund, will improve the infrastructure and amenity of the area as well as to deliver important coastal protection and rehabilitation works to stabilise the foreshore.Council Director, Assets, Infrastructure and Business, Mike Dowling, said that the upgrades will provide the community and visitors with a safer and more accessible foreshore area.“The first stage of works will deliver a more substantial rock wall next to the rock pool to stabilise the foreshore,” Mr Dowling said.“It will also see a relocation of the drainage outlet to the eastern end of the rock pool and renew the existing walkway between the surf club and eastern rock shelf incorporating initial landscaping.”“The second stage, scheduled to commence in April 2019, will further improve the area by rebuilding the small rock wall, adding a new larger ramp near the surf club, upgrading the beachfront walkway and providing additional landscaping.” Mayor Jane Smith said the project was an example of Council working together with the NSW State Government to deliver projects the community want and need.“The need for these works was identified in the Masterplan for Avoca Beach in 2012,” Mayor Smith said.“Since then, Council has consulted with the community about what they wanted to see at the foreshore and Hunter Park and I am really pleased to see community priorities, such as shade structures, shower and wash down areas, sitting steps and open grass spaces incorporated into the planned works.“Council staff also held a pre-construction Information Session attended by over 60 locals in early April where our Project Managers presented plans and discussed construction expectations with the community.

Central Coast Library Service is creating a stress free HSC for students by offering a number of FREE events to help calm nerves, and maximise potential and results during this critical time.The free events are open to senior students from years 10 through to 12 and will be led by a series of experts to equip students with the tools they need to succeed.Council Acting Unit Manager Libraries, Beth Burgess, said these events are a fantastic opportunity for students to get hints and tips from professionals without the cost.“We understand that the senior years of school are an important and often stressful time for many students and we are pleased to offer this special series of events for our community.” Mrs Burgess said.“The initiative is part of the Library’s investment to assist with meeting educational needs across the Coast and we encourage all year 10, 11 and 12 students to take advantage of these excellent learning opportunities.”Max your HSC marks – how to bounce back from the half yearly exams will kick-off the series this afternoon with Rowan Kunz, author of the book Secrets of HSC Success Revealed and founder of Art of Smart Education tutoring service, providing students with a toolkit of techniques to increase the efficiency of their study, improve their time-management skills and reduce stress.Award-winning author, Felicity Pulman, will also be running a creative writing workshop How to make good stories even better which will help participants generate ideas, flesh out characters and scenes, and address the basics behind every page-turning story.“According to the NSW Education Standards Authority, the Central Coast was one of the top 10 largest regions for HSC enrolments last year so programs like these are important.” Mrs Burgess added.“We remain committed to providing learning and development opportunities for students on the Coast and encourage them and their parents to take note of the free events and book now.”Events will be held in the Tuggerah, Toukley and Erina libraries.1 May              Max your HSC marks8 May              How to make good stories even better19 May            Activated HSC workshop - The Tempest24 May            Understanding PIPs and Society and Culture2 June             A Parent’s Guide to the HSC: