Alice Springs Town Council Easter long weekend hours

Council advises residents of the following hours of operation, for facilities and services, during the 2023 Easter long weekend.

· Civic Centre: Closing 5pm, Thursday 6 April, resuming normal hours Tuesday, 11 April.

· Alice Springs Public Library: Closing 6pm, Thursday 6 April, resuming normal hours Tuesday, 11 April.

· Alice Springs Aquatic & Leisure Centre: Closed Good Friday 7 April only. Open 9am-7pm. Saturday 8, Sunday 9, and Monday 10 April. Please bear in mind, there will be no AQUA classes over Easter weekend.

· Regional Waste Management Facility: Closed Good Friday 7 April only.

· Rediscovery Centre: Closed Good Friday 7 April only.

· Depot: Closing 3.30pm Thursday 6 April, resuming normal hours Tuesday, 11 April.

· Kerbside collection: Service for Friday 7 April is rescheduled to Thursday 6 April only. Residents to please have bins ready for collection by 6am. Service scheduled for Monday 10 April will be carried out as normal.

The Mayor, Councillors, CEO, Directors and Staff of Alice Springs Town Council wish all residents a safe and happy Easter.

For after-hours Council services emergencies only, please call 8950 0500 and follow the prompts.

For most Year 12 students, the sheer workload and stress of completing high school is enough to take on. Between studying, exams and planning for the future, students can be forgiven for prioritising themselves. That’s not Jordon Humphreys.

A Year 12 student at St. Philip’s College, Jordon is the epitome of selfless. While he completes his studies, Jordon has also embraced an advocacy role for young people across the Northern Territory.

“It started off a lot in 2021 where I was a victim of bullying, but also noticed really big issues around mental health and disability around the Territory,” Jordon said.

“Mental health was being stigmatised and disability was really being discriminated against. At the end of 2021 I heard about the NT Youth Round Table and signed up for that, not really expecting to get picked. I found out at the end of the year I had been picked, and that really threw me head first into this youth advocacy space, talking with government ministers and giving me a platform to make a difference for those in my community that don’t feel comfortable speaking about these issues.”

As a member of the NT Youth Round Table, Jordon continued his advocacy work for disability, mental health and the prevention of bullying. He helped consult on the National Disability Framework and has had the ear of government ministers, helping make the NT a better place for all young people. This work led to Jordon being named the 2023 Centralian Young Citizen of the Year on Australia Day.

“(Winning the award) was a huge shock! When I found out, I didn’t think I deserved it knowing the other people that were nominated,” Jordon said.

“I’m extremely grateful, I don’t know who nominated me but I’m extremely grateful. It was a shock to see (that work) had been noticed on that level. For me, it meant a lot to see that someone had noticed that the work I’ve been doing has had an impact on the community.”

Jordon’s work in making the NT a better place for young people is far from done as he has joined Alice Springs Town Council in a new youth role. Jordon will help keep Council connected to young people across Alice Springs, ensuring their voices are heard and considered in all that Council does.

“At the moment I am working to help organise a youth conference that is coming up. After that, I will be looking at outcomes from the Youth Summit that Council held last year and providing a report to Council about what we can do better going forward,” Jordon said.

Council’s 2023 Youth Recycled Art Prize offers young people in Alice Springs aged between 12-25 years the opportunity to develop their creative talents, have their work exhibited, and win great prizes- all while learning about recycling!

All young entrants will submit an original creative piece made strictly from recycled or reused materials, with age categories ranging from; 12-15 years, 16-19 years, and 20-25 years. Prizes will be awarded to the winning entrants in each category, as well as to the People’s Choice Award, with a total of $1200 worth of prizes.

Prior to the entry closure date on Monday 27 March, a workshop was held on Saturday 18 March at the Civic Centre which aimed to provide participants with the skills, materials and support for the creation of their art work. The young artists were mentored in aesthetic design, team work, drilling, gluing, and painting. Ultimately these young artists created a piece that was ready for submission by the end of the fun-filled session.

The opening night for the 2023 Youth Recycled Art Prize exhibition will be held on Thursday 6 April from 5 to 7 pm at Alice Plaza, accessible via the Parsons Street entrance. The gallery in Alice Plaza will also be open for the public to view on Saturday 8 April, and daily from Tuesday 11 April to Friday 14 April from 11 am to 2 pm. All are welcome to attend!

Alice Springs is a proudly vibrant and multicultural town and with Harmony Week signifying the celebration of multiculturalism and the successful integration of migrants into the community, Harmony Day was the perfect date for this special occasion.

Mayor Matt Paterson, Alice Springs Town Council CEO Joe McCabe, Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, and Town Crier Meredith Campbell conducted formalities and oversaw ceremonial proceedings which included a formal introduction, speeches, an address to participants, the pledge of commitment, and the National Anthem.

Forty-one adults and children from the Philippines, Thailand, Ethiopia, United Kingdom, France, Kenya,

South Africa, Bangladesh, South Korea, Brazil, Vietnam, New Zealand, Colombia United States of America and Singapore received Australian Citizenship on this day.

“Citizenship Ceremonies are always special and it was an honour to see 41 Alice Springs residents become Australians in March,” Mayor Matt Paterson said.

“For many, receiving Citizenship is one of the most important days of their lives. It’s an incredible feeling to see the smiles on their faces and share that moment with them.