Central Coast Council Mayor Jane Smith has welcomed the collaboration between Council and Transport for NSW which will see 49 mature trees retained at Kangy Angy around the proposed new access road to Orchard Road.Local residents have been calling for a change to the plans to save the trees and this has been achieved with a reclassification and redesign of the new access road to Orchard Road.

Residents will have the opportunity to talk to their local Ward Councillors about what matters to them and their suburb as Central Coast Council kicks off a series of Councillor Listening Posts across the coast this September.Councillor Listening Posts will visit each of the five Wards across the Central Coast between September and December this year and provide the community with one on one access to Councillors that represent their local area.Mayor Jane Smith said Councillors wanted the opportunity to engage directly with their community on local issues and get a better understanding of the things that matter in suburbs and local neighbourhoods.“Councillors want to understand first-hand community concerns so they can be addressed at the local level,” said Mayor Smith.“Councillor Listening Posts will be held on weekends at local shopping centres or community events in each Ward, to reach as many members of the community as possible.”The first Councillor Listening Post will be held at Lake Haven Shopping Centre in the Budgewoi Ward on Saturday 1 September from 10am til 12pm.Councillor Listening Posts will be held in Gosford East Ward on 15 September, Gosford West Ward on 20 October, The Entrance Ward on 18 November and Wyong Ward on 1 December.“I encourage the community to drop by a Councillor Listening Post near them and engage with their Councillors on the issues that matter to them,” Mayor Smith said.For more information on Councillor Listening Posts visit www.yourvoiceourcoast.com/listeningposts

Last week marked the 70 year anniversary since both Woy Woy and Gosford Library branches first opened their doors to help meet the needs of a rapidly growing community.Council Local History Librarian, Geoffrey Potter, explained the creation of the Library Service was among the first major decisions made by the then newly instituted Gosford Shire Council, which officially began operating on 1 January 1947.“Our Library Service commenced operation on 13 August 1948 at Woy Woy, and 16 August 1948 at Gosford in the former Council Chambers of the Woy Woy and Erina Shires, respectively,” Mr Potter said.“Miss Phyllis Bennett, a well-respected educator and library board member was card holder Number 1, and she was always very proud of this fact.“At the time of opening, the Library collection was small but reflected the agricultural production interests of local farmer’s and subjects such as citrus-orcharding and vegetable-growing.“After four months of operation there were 5,000 items and 3,000 borrowers registered.“By the time the first purpose-built Gosford Library was opened in Mann Street in December 1951, there were 8,000 borrowers, which represented 40 per cent of the district population, and the Library collection was equally divided between fiction, non-fiction and children’s books.”Council’s Library Service has come a long way since its humble beginnings, now with 11 branches, two community branches and a Bookmobile helping to service residents of the Central Coast.“We now have over 112,000 members and boast one of the largest catalogues in the state with around 315,000 items, including books, DVDs, magazines, audiobooks, large print books, graphic novels, CDs,” Geoff added.Last financial year saw more than one million people visit one of Council’s library branches and over 1.5 million loans from the physical and online collections.Council Acting Unit Manager Libraries, Beth Burgess, said Council’s Library Service is as relevant today as it was back then and has evolved to meet the needs of residents.“We have grown to become so much more than books,” Mrs Burgess said.“Libraries are constantly adapting to meet the changing expectations of our community, while simultaneously enhancing education, learning and recreational needs.“From storytime sessions to family history, knitting clubs to gaming meets, we offer something for all ages and interests.“In this day and age we also understand the need to be available 24/7, so many of our key services are available online giving people the freedom to access them, anywhere, anytime - this includes eBooks, eMagazines, research databases, music and film streaming, language tools, online homework help services and much, much more.“Our Gosford branch has served us well, though, like many of our branches, we are constrained by the building’s size and capabilities to continue changing to meet our community’s expectations.“The proposed multi-use Regional Library will ensure we can meet the contemporary and the future needs of our increasing population and provide an active and welcoming social space for people to meet, collaborate, research and exchange ideas.“Libraries have always been at the heart of creating liveable and connected cities through lifelong learning and that is definitely what we want to see continue, to help our region prosper.”The designs and cost estimate for both the Regional Library and Regional Performing Arts Conference Centre will go back to Council at the 28 August Ordinary Meeting.Those who work, live and study on the Central Coast can sign up for free at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/jointhelibrary and take advantage of the great range of resources and services on offer.ENDSPhotos can be found at flickr.com/photos/gostalgia/6514407849/in/album-72157628436707621/

The $1.48million revamped Koolewong Boat Ramp was officially opened this afternoon by Central Coast Council and Roads and Maritime Services.Recreational boaters on the Central Coast can now enjoy the extensively upgraded Koolewong boat ramp and surrounding foreshore.Council Acting Director Assets, Infrastructure and Business, Boris Bolgoff said the upgrade had delivered what was promised – an enhanced experience for boating enthusiasts.“In addition to providing more user-friendly, recreational boating infrastructure, this extensive upgrade will increase usage capacity, from now, well into the future,” Mr Bolgoff said.“Not only have we constructed a dual-lane boat ramp with an on-ramp pontoon and an L-shaped floating pontoon, but we have also delivered improvements to car parking, as well as landscaping and ancillary works.“This upgrade is just one of six boating infrastructure projects we will deliver in the next year, with Council investing a combined total of $2.29million across these projects.”Mayor Jane Smith said one of Council’s priorities is to deliver enhanced recreational experiences on the Coast and the delivery of this upgrade meets that need for the growing number of boating enthusiasts, and the broader community.“Recreational boating is a popular pastime in New South Wales, with over 515,000 people in the state holding a boat licence, and 233,000 people with a registered boat and there are plenty here right on the Coast,” said Mayor Smith.“With its close proximity to the freeway, Koolewong is the perfect place for such a facility, as it can be utilised by both locals and boaters visiting the area for the day.”This project is jointly funded by Central Coast Council and a $750,000 contribution from the NSW Government’s Boating Now Program.NSW Member of the Legislative Council Taylor Martin said the delivery of this upgrade through the Boating Now Program was a great example of how different levels of government can proactively work together.“Since starting the Boating Now Program back in 2014, we have been able to commit funding to more than 250 boating projects across 50 local government areas in NSW,” Mr Martin said.“There are an additional two Boating Now projects under way in the Gosford electorate, which have been made possible with $1.42 million Boating Now funding.

Small businesses can now access subsidised expert mentoring and coaching services at the Gosford Smart Hub under a new three-month partnership between Central Coast Council and not-for-profit agency the Business Centre.Based at the Gosford Smart Work Hub each Monday until late October, a Business Centre Strategist will meet with individual business owners to provide expert guidance.

Central Coast Council Library Service are inviting the community to jump on board one of the most popular hobbies in the world and discover their family history this August.To celebrate there will be a number of events to help the community become super sleuths when it comes to discovering their family history.Council Acting Unit Manager Libraries, Beth Burgess, encourages anyone looking to get started or delving further into their family history research to book into one of the many sessions on offer.“Researching family history can provide a greater understanding of where you come from and helps create a stronger sense of self and identity,” Mrs Burgess said.“Family history is like detective work – it requires hard work, patience and often has surprising discoveries along the way.“Our events provide a great opportunity to help navigate your way through the many records and collections, which can otherwise be an overwhelming and time-consuming process.“The first event on how to use asylum, hospital and care records in your research booked out so don’t delay – make sure you secure your seat online today.”Visit centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/libraryevents for all events and bookings.Council Section Manager Library Futures and Planning, Benjamin Hartley, said the libraries’ passionate staff thrived on providing community members with the tools to help uncover their hidden family gems.“Gosford and Tuggerah Libraries are our history hubs with an array of print and digital resources, which even includes Convict Tickets of Leave,” Mr Hartley said.“NSW State Archives Kit, index books, microfilms, electoral rolls, immigration documents, magazines and free online access to ancestry are also available at these two locations.“All our branches also provide in branch access to Find My Past – as these platforms are very popular I would encourage community members to book ahead.“To help meet the needs of our community, we boast an amazing collection of online family history guides, databases and photographs from our Central Coast Memories collection that can be accessed anywhere, anytime via our website.“This includes free access to numerous family and general history online magazines, including the very popular ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ publication through RBdigital.”To access RBdigital simply go to centralcoast.rbdigitalglobal.com on your PC or tablet to register with your library membership details, then download the app through Google Play or the App Store.Those who have any history queries can email history@centralcoast.nsw.gov.auDuring August Central Coast Library Service will be hosting the following events:Family History for Beginners – Wednesday 8 August, 10.30am-12pm at Tuggerah Library or Tuesday 14 August, 10.30am-12pm at Kincumber LibraryFamily History Online – Tuesday 21 August, 10.30am-12pm at Kincumber LibraryUsing Trove (digitised newspapers) for Family History Research – Wednesday 22 August, 10.30am-12pm at Tuggerah Library or Thursday 23 August, 1.30-3pm at Toukley LibraryENDSImages from Central Coast Memories available on request.

This August, Central Coast Council is celebrating their fifth year of hosting birthday parties at Niagara Park Stadium, and are marking the occasion with a $100,000 upgrade.Council Director Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan said that these upgrades are the perfect way to celebrate this half-decade milestone at Niagara Park Stadium, as they will enhance the party experience for everyone.“In addition to installing air-conditioning and a modern kitchen in the party rooms, other recent upgrades have included installing $54,000 worth of fans into the sports hall, allowing for cooler temperatures for birthday parties during the summer months,” said Ms Vaughan.“However, the birthday present sure to excite the kids the most will arrive at the stadium in September – two new inflatable jumping castles, one complete with a slide.”Mayor Jane Smith said that this August also marks the fifth anniversary of Council managing Niagara Park Stadium.“Since 2013, as managers of Niagara Park Stadium, Council has delivered over $500,000 worth of upgrades to this facility including new sports equipment, a signage upgrade and the installation of wireless scoreboards,” said Mayor Smith.“Council aims to provide as many opportunities in fitness and sports for our community, in a healthy, fun-filled and family-friendly environment.“These ongoing upgrades at Niagara Park Stadium show Council’s commitment to deliver more recreational and leisure opportunities on the Coast.”Parties at Niagara Park Stadium are suitable for groups of no less than 10 and up to 15 children (required for team sports), and are available for children aged six-years and over.

Central Coast Council is conducting daily beach inspections at Terrigal and Wamberal to identify and safely remove building waste – some of these waste items have been identified as asbestos containing materials.Following recent storm events and increased swells, there have been increased sightings at the intertidal line of the waste material washed in from offshore.Though materials identified so far have been labelled by experts as low-risk, trained Council staff will continue to undertake daily physical inspections on an ongoing basis.Council is working constructively with the Department of Industry & Lands, given Council and that Department manage different parts of the beaches.While the source of the material is being investigated, additional precautionary measures, including external air-quality assessments conducted by an occupational hygienist, will shortly be undertaken.

To make Toukley Town Centre a more vibrant place to visit and spend time, Central Coast Council is looking to the local community for ideas and feedback on two different projects – the redesign of the Village Green and the reconfiguration of the Coles carpark.Mayor Jane Smith said that the successful delivery of these two projects will not only improve public spaces within the town centre, but it will also be a large step towards activating Toukley.“By relocating the existing amenity block from the Village Green to the Coles carpark, we will have a great new space that we can activate for our local residents and visitors.“As such, we would like to hear from the community about their ideas on what they want to see in this new Village Green space, so it will be a place designed by the community, for the community.“The second project is the reconfiguration of the Coles carpark, making it safer for pedestrians.

After the popularity of last year’s inaugural event, SportsFest is back again in September, and will showcase a variety of Central Coast sports and recreational opportunities.This family-friendly event will be held over the weekend of 22-23 September, from 10am-5pm, at Bateau Bay’s EDSACC sporting precinct on the Central Coast Highway.Central Coast Council Acting Director Assets, Infrastructure and Business, Boris Bolgoff said that this is a not-to-be-missed event.“SportsFest’s festivities will include interactive sporting activities, professional demonstrations, live entertainment, market and food stalls and a dedicated KidZone,” said Mr Bolgoff.“Over 40 sporting codes and numerous related organisations have already secured their place as exhibitors so there’s sure to be something for everyone’s taste – from the water to the court, from traditional to the more obscure and everything in between.”Mayor Jane Smith says that Council is proud to be running SportsFest again this year and looks forward to promoting a fun and free community event that promotes healthy living.“SportsFest encourages residents of all ages and ability to get connected and active in our sports community, through active participation, volunteering or spectator support,” Mayor Smith said.“We are pleased to invest in an event that not only will appeal to all ages, but also supports local businesses, groups and organisations that encourage active lifestyles.”SportsFest’s proud partnerships include NSW Office of Sport, Sport NSW, Central Coast Academy of Sport and official media partners, Star 104.5 FM.For more information visit centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/SportsFest or facebook.com/SportsFestCentralCoast