8 AUGUST 2019
YOUR INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Homelessness service providers march to raise awareness
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PH: 4325 7369
Community members encouraged to vote for their favourite project
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a j o r homelessness service providers on the Coast took to the streets of Gosford on August 7, in the middle of Homelessness Week (August 4-10), to highlight the issue of housing affordability in the region.
Uniting local homelessness service, Doorways, coordinated the march, and was joined by other homelessness service providers including Coast Shelter, CatholicCare, Bungree, Wesley Mission, Central Coast Community Council, Central Coast Council,
and Regional Youth Support Services (RYSS). “We are seeing record numbers of people walk through our doors because they are experiencing or are on the verge of homelessness,” Uniting Youth and Homelessness Service spokesperson, Vicki Daley, said. “There has been no more pressing time for the local community to come together to find solutions and advocate for more affordable housing stock in this community.” Daley said the march was intended to bring awareness to the local homelessness crisis. “Twenty-four thousand people are experiencing
housing stress and more than 3,000 are currently on the affordable housing waiting list on the Central Coast,” she said. “The Central Coast housing affordability crisis is growing rapidly and requires increased affordable housing stock, as well as compassionate and creative community action.” Marchers left Burns Park at midday and proceeded down Mann St to Kibble Park, where stalls and activities were on offer, along with recovered food cooked by Masterchef Season 1 winner, Julie Goodwin. Source: Media release, Jul 29 Uniting
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everal projects across the former Gosford LGA have been listed in the 2019 My Community Project program.
Gosford Electorate Projects
An initiative of the State Government, the program was established in 2018 to give communities a say in what projects they want to see in their local area take shape. Grassroots democracy is at the core of the program, with communities able to read through nominated projects. The projects are listed via each electorate, with 17 projects listed across the Gosford electorate and 11 across Terrigal. A breakdown of each project is below, and Member for Terrigal, Adam Crouch, and Member of the Legislative Council for the Central Coast, Taylor Martin, say residents need to vote, and in force, if they want to see their favourite project funded under the highly competitive program. “Across the Central Coast, almost 50 projects have been successfully nominated,” Crouch said. “I anticipate that we will see strong support for this initiative, so I encourage everyone to make their voices heard,” Martin said. Voting is done through the My Community Project website and closes on August 15, with the successful projects to be announced in September. Anyone looking to vote will need an up to date Medicare Card and My Service NSW account.
This project will see a kitchen and storeroom facilities installed at the hall. The hall has undergone major renovation works since 2007 but does not have kitchen facilities. A kitchen and storeroom have been earmarked under stage two of the development works but works are not set to be completed until 2020. The school already has $37,000 in residual funds available to put towards the project.
This project will allow the Golf Club to improve its access pathways around the golf course for the benefit of members and guests. Currently, pathways around the green are subject to inclement weather and can at times negatively impact on golfers’ ability to play the game. It is hoped that new pathways will improve safety and increase participation from elderly and disabled golfers. The club regularly provides competitions and coaching clinics to the Special Olympics Group, and with paved walkways, it is believed the club will be able to flourish as an empowering and inclusive golf hub for the region.
New disability transport van for Sunnyfield, Central Coast
Kariong Oval Equal Access Path
Amount sought: $79,391 Project Sponsor: Sunnyfield
Amount sought: $200,000 Project Sponsor: Kariong United Football Club
Peats Ridge Community Hall Amount sought: $200,000 Project Sponsor: Peats Ridge Public School
Sunnyfield is a member based, registered not-forprofit charity that specialises in supporting people with intellectual disability. Sunnyfield hopes to purchase a wheelchair modified van that will enable the organisation to transport its Central Coast clients to access and engage in their community, fostering a sense of belonging and helping to create a more vibrant and inclusive society. Pathway improvements at Gosford Golf Club Amount sought: $200,000 Project Sponsor: Gosford Golf Club
This project will allow the Football Club to install an Equal Access Pathway, providing a safe egress for people of all abilities to travel from the carpark and nearby Community Centre to the oval. The new pathway will assist people in wheelchairs, parents with strollers and those with mobility challenges to access and enjoy the oval. It will also make it easier for equipment to be taken from the Hill to the Oval and will provide recreational linkages to the oval and Mt Penang.
Office: Level 2, 86-88 Mann St, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net Mobile Website: www.coastcommunitynews.com.au
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