

At the time of writing this message in early June, South Australia is beginning to lift COVID-19 (coronavirus) restrictions across the state so we are able to safely spend more time with one another out in the community.
While many of you are probably experiencing a level of ‘COVID-19 fatigue’ where we have taken in a lot of information, many continue to be concerned for our own safety, the safety of our families and the wider community. The lifting of restrictions is an exciting time as businesses re-open their doors, our neighbourhoods can come together and we can re-connect with each other face to face.
It may also be a time of worry for those in our community who remain vulnerable due to isolation, health concerns, caring for higher risk loved ones and front line responders.
Throughout it all we have seen so much kindness and support. Thank you for your care for one another during a time where fear has been heightened. We know of so many in our community who have offered their support to one another during times of isolation and lock down, from safely delivering food and essential items to making constant contact to ensure those living by themselves did not feel alone.
Thank you for your passion in supporting our local businesses as they have reinvented and adapted their operations to stay open and viable when restrictions were at their peak. We have seen the effort and hard work from our local businesses in keeping their doors open, and the loyalty our
residents have shown, shopping locally where possible and greeting businesses as they re-open their doors with your patronage.
Thank you for the courage you have shown so far in 2020. From our involvement in aiding the recovery from the December and January bushfires, through to the cooperation and commitment during the crisis phase of COVID-19.
Throughout the crisis, at the City of Charles Sturt, our focus has been our community, sharing resources and information, maintaining services and facilitating connection. We now move to supporting our community, clubs and businesses to recover.
Our role has also been to support Federal and State leaders, in particular via SA Health and the Police Commissioner. Our communications have been, and will continue to be, consistent with the advice given by Federal Health advisors, and our operations continue to follow their guidelines.
At the height of the pandemic, we made a number of changes to how we operated. To ensure we continued to provide our essential services, we based our workforce across various Council sites in our City so we could ensure physical distancing. Our field employees continued to deliver services in the community including open space and garden maintenance, engineering and transport works, footpath and road maintenance and much more. The work of our field crews in providing those services in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic was incredibly important, and we appreciate their work, and those
Welcome to Issue
46. 2020 has been a year of rapid change in our world, some of which we have watched from afar and some of which has landed right on our doorsteps. This edition, Mayor Angela Evans and CEO Paul Sutton have shared a joint message to our community.
in our community who took the time to thank them (safely!) over the last few months.
Our Civic front counter and Customer Contact Centre has also remained open throughout. Other front facing teams such as Ageing Well, Libraries and Public Health and Safety have continued to make contact and connect with our vulnerable residents. We’ve offered call and collect at our libraries, streamed children’s baby and storytime sessions, inspected food businesses and actively supported SAPOL ensuring physical distancing. We have been humbled by hand written notes of thank you and have truly appreciated the community support for our employees who have continued to work in community facing areas. Working together has been
an important part of how we have stayed connected and safe over the past few months.
Together with employees, our Elected Members have been an important connector, and have worked hard to stay available and responsive during this time –thank you.
This edition will provide you with information on:
• Our Economic Stimulus and Support Package which has been designed to bring energy to our recovery across the City of Charles Sturt
• Rate relief information, if you are experiencing financial hardship as a result of COVID-19
• The exciting and awesome offerings we are providing through the Woodville Town Hall in new and different ways
Mayor
Angela Evans
Phone: (08) 8408 1103 angelaevans@charlessturt.sa.gov.au
Semaphore Park Ward
Cr Stuart Ghent, JP
Phone: (08) 8449 9430 Mobile: 0418 499 431 sghent@charlessturt.sa.gov.au
Cr Gerard Ferrao, JP Mobile: 0411 775 391 gferrao@charlessturt.sa.gov.au
Grange Ward
Cr Sarah McGrath Mobile: 0474 544 936 smcgrath@charlessturt.sa.gov.au
Cr Tom Scheffler
Phone: (08) 7225 2782 tscheffler@charlessturt.sa.gov.au
Henley Ward
Cr Kenzie van den Nieuwelaar Mobile: 0450 869 935 kvandennieuwelaar@charlessturt. sa.gov.au
Cr Paul Sykes, JP Mobile: 0414 499 394 psykes@charlessturt.sa.gov.au
Woodville Ward
Cr Oanh Nguyen Mobile: 0413 333 189 onguyen@charlessturt.sa.gov.au
Cr Charlotte Watson Mobile: 0411 338 789 cwatson@charlessturt.sa.gov.au
• Library Services – new services to look out for and our current offerings
• Our focus on our environment as we welcome some new residents to our Civic Centre
• And much more!
We have spent time acknowledging the efforts of our residents, businesses, employees and Elected Members during a time of uncertainty and a changed way of living. However, we always know that there are many things we have the opportunity to improve and work on.
If you want to provide feedback or have a suggestion to improve the City of Charles Sturt, please connect with us on 8408 1111, make contact over our Facebook page @CityofCharlesSturt, see us (safely) in person at our Civic
Centre, or have your say via the YourSay site yoursaycharlessturt.com.au
Stay safe.
West Woodville Ward
Cr Tolley Wasylenko, JP
Phone: (08) 8268 3249 Mobile: 0428 282 624 twasylenko@charlessturt.sa.gov.au
Cr Kelly Thomas Mobile: 0450 220 487 kellythomas@charlessturt.sa.gov.au
Findon Ward
Cr George Turelli
Phone: (08) 8356 7169 Mobile: 0419 999 575 gturelli@charlessturt.sa.gov.au
Cr Helen Hibeljic Mobile: 0431 072 073 hhibeljic@charlessturt.sa.gov.au
Hindmarsh Ward
Cr Paul Alexandrides Mobile: 0418 500 924 palexandrides@charlessturt.sa.gov.au
Cr Alice Campbell Mobile: 0425 351 177 acampbell@charlessturt.sa.gov.au
Beverley Ward
Cr Edgar Agius, OAM, JP Phone: (08) 8445 7643 Mobile: 0424 451 154 eagius@charlessturt.sa.gov.au
Cr Matt Mitchell Mobile: 0415 350 740 mmitchell@charlessturt.sa.gov.au
Kaleidoscope, distributed to your letterbox four times per year, provides information about Council and our City in an easy to read format. twitter.com/CharlesSturtSA | facebook.com/CityofCharlesSturt | instagram @charlessturtsa Printed by Finsbury Green 1A South Road, Thebarton SA 5031
In May, the City of Charles Sturt approved an Economic Support and Stimulus Package (ESSP) that will inject $99 million dollars into our community over the next two years.
The Package has been created to support business, sports and recreation, art and culture as well as our community following the easing of restrictions, as we work together to recover from the impacts of COVID-19 and prepare for the future.
Key highlights of the Package:
• $97.4m worth of capital works with an increased emphasis on supporting local businesses and supply chains
• Over $1m of financial support
to individuals, hospitality and food, construction and recreation sectors
• Over $500,000 of economic stimulus to small business, the arts, entertainment and recreation sectors
The Stimulus Package identifies:
• Financial Support$1,068,970
• Building for Tomorrow & Local Procurement Support$97.4m
• Business Support and Stimulus - $176,500
• Art and Cultural Support and Stimulus - $271,000
• Sporting Clubs Support and Stimulus - $100,000
We’ve spoken with many businesses over the past few months and while we have been impressed, we acknowledge that it has been tough. The Business Support Program will help local businesses to adapt and innovate in response to the changing market conditions. We’ll also continue to promote local through our #shoplocal we are back in business initiative and support our local businesses.
If you need additional resources to help your business, visit charlessturt.sa.gov.au/business
The Live & Local initiative launched with a new partnership with our western suburbs pubs; Lady Daly Hotel, Woodville Hotel and Adelaide live music icon, The Gov. At the time of printing Live & Local has delivered 12 live-streamed events across the three venues, featuring 45 performers and receiving over 36,000 views.
Applications are now open for our next phase of Live & Local and our Creative Cities programs to support local musicians and artists. We look forward to sharing further updates including future events at Woodville Town Hall.
While community sport looks a little different, the teams and volunteers have been working hard to get ready for kick-off. The Recovering Clubs Program will support clubs with a grant to assist with anything from new equipment to cleaning supplies.
Keep an eye on our website and facebook page over the coming months as new initiatives and announcements are made.
For information about the grants available search ‘stimulus package’ on our website.
Did you know our Libraries have a catalogue full of books featured in the Premier’s Reading Challenge list. Borrowing them is easy, simply:
1. Visit
2. Search
3. Place on hold
4. Wait for sms or email
5. Collect
There’s still time to complete this popular challenge before the September deadline. Even better news, your school might allow you to record any book you read, although reading those on the lists is always the preferred option.
To find books (or audiobooks) included in the challenge, visit your local library and keep an eye out for the coloured stickers on the spine of the books.
Just remember:
Orange for Reception–Year 2
Green for Year 3-5
Yellow for Year 6-9 & (Mature) Year 9-12
If you can’t make it into the library, our digital library also offers books in the challenge. Download the Libby app today and browse the Premier’s Reading Challenge lists.
The St Clair Skate Park is officially open and, according to locals and visitors who gave it a test run the minute the fences came down, it’s a welcome addition to the area.
Located in the St Clair Playspace Precinct, next door to St Clair Recreation Centre and The Brocas, the skate park features a mini Bondi bowl, flat bars, hips and ledges and fly out rails amongst other exciting additions for skateboards, bikes and scooters. The all ages area also features a basketball half court, a table tennis table, shelter and automated lighting and an all-accessible viewing area. There’s plenty of greenery too, with new plants, shade trees and irrigation.
The completion of the Skate Park is the final element in the St Clair Precinct Master Plan, designed to make the precinct a destination point for residents and visitors alike. The area also includes a fantastic playspace for all ages and abilities, BBQ areas and shelter, tennis courts, an upgrade to the playing fields, creating more flexible spaces, and a commemorative space which celebrates our heritage.
Whether it’s helping others or making small changes to protect the environment, there are a few simple ways kids can give back. How many will you complete?
Curated by local ‘musical wizard’ Adam Page
COVID-19.
If you are worried or unsure about paying your rates we will work with you to discuss a range of options, including tailoring payment options to meet your specific circumstances.
We have also now introduced a fortnightly direct debit option, in addition to the current quarterly deduction already available, as well as the opportunity for you to make weekly, fortnightly or monthly manual payments towards your
quarterly instalments, so long as the balance is covered by the due date.
We know many people may be facing financial hardship during an uncertain time and as a result, we are waiving fines and interest incurred from 31 March 2020 until 31 October 2020 for payments not made for the 4th quarter instalment (due 1 June) and first quarter instalment (due 1 September). From 1 November 2020 penalty fines and interest will only be waived for those with a payment arrangement in place and who have a successful application for COVID hardship.
We’re here to help so give us a call to discuss your situation on 8408 1111.
Have you moved within Charles Sturt? Changed your phone number? Or maybe you’ve got a new email address? Make sure you let us know so you don’t miss any important information from us!
To do this online go to charlessturt.sa.gov.au/changedetails or give us a call on 8408 1111.
Foyer Fridays launched into our lounge rooms in May. The events, featuring both local and interstate musicians, provided our community with the opportunity to enjoy live and local music from the comfort of their homes. Curated by local musician Adam Page, the events ranged from jazz to rock opera.
Feedback from our first Foyer Fridays online event:
We understand that our community may be experiencing financial pressures as a result of
“Great initiative to keep our live music alive!!!”
“Can I bring my blankie to all live gigs from now on? this is ideal... lol”
“Thanks - that was beautiful ! And well done Woodville Town Hall for supporting local artists!”
“Great set up and great venue! And front row seats! Love it!”
quarantined for a period of 3 days before returning to the collection. All high usage areas including self-check outs, monitors and counters are sanitised every 30 minutes by library staff. Customers are also encouraged to wipe down their PCs before and after use. Cash payments are not accepted, but contactless payments are available.
For those still wanting a contactless service our Call & Collect service is here to stay!
What we can assure our community is the following:
All our libraries are open to the public with limitations on how many people are allowed inside at any given time. Normal operating hours are in place, with the exception of late nights that are suspended until full services resume.
We responded quickly to Commonwealth, State and SA Health directives and continue to adapt and re-introduce as many services as we can in accordance with the State’s Recovery Roadmap.
At the time of printing, we can’t guarantee the latest lifting of restrictions have been included as the conditions are rapidly changing each week.
Staff are maintaining 1.5metres distance between themselves and our customers, and we are asking our customers to do the same when browsing and borrowing our collection. We have limited PC access available with a time limit of 30 minutes, and our computers positioned to provide appropriate social distancing between customers.
Items are all returned through our after hours chutes, and
• Request your item(s) online through our online catalogue, Library App, or by calling us on 8408 1333
• Once you have received a text or email notification that your item is available, please call us 15 minutes prior to collecting the item(s) from your selected library location
• Your item(s) will be borrowed for you and placed outside the front doors by staff, ready for you to pick up in that 15 minute window
Did you know that we can bring the library straight to the comfort of your own home? Our existing service has now been adapted to a contactless system, with increased sanitisation of all items and a drop to your door approach.
We have also expanded this service to include:
• People 70 years or over
• People 65 years or over, with a chronic medical condition
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 years or over, with a chronic medical condition
• People who are immune suppressed
• People with a disability
If you, a family member or loved one is interested in applying for this service, please visit charlessturt.sa.gov.au and search for ‘home library,’ or call us on 8408 1333.
A range of our programs and events are being offered live digitally across all age groups. Here are a couple of our most popular sessions that you can attend for free.
Babytime and Storytime sessions are held weekly on Monday and Friday mornings through Zoom, where our hosts can interact in real time with those watching from home. A series of pre-recorded sessions are also available to view via our Facebook and YouTube channels.
Get help with your digital device with our popular Digital One on One sessions, now available every Tuesday via phone or video call. Book a 30-minute timeslot and our staff will call you back to help with your technology query.
For a full listing of events please visit: bit.ly/eVents-csls
Any library member can take advantage of our free range of databases and resources. Visit charlessturt.sa.gov.au/digitallibrary
The situation over the past few months has had an enormous impact on our libraries and how we are able to deliver our services.
The City of Charles Sturt was recently recognised at the 2020 Stormwater SA Excellence Awards for our ongoing Port Road Drainage Project.
We received an Excellence in Infrastructure Award, together with project consultants Southfront, for our delivery of stages 2 and 3 of the Port Road Drainage development.
Works were focussed in the Port Road median strip from the upstream end of the Old Port Road wetlands to Minnie Street at Croydon, extending on earlier work already completed.
The project was acknowledged as providing significant benefits to the community beyond its primary purpose of flood
mitigation, including improved road safety, enhanced public amenity and the protection of private property, businesses and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Judges further recognised that construction was well planned and executed to work within a narrow site whilst minimising interference to local business and traffic flow.
Stage 3 of the project ensures that even in a 1 in 100 year rainfall event, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital emergency entrance is still accessible in
We recognise that our City’s businesses have endured many changes to their staff and operations over the past few months. Every business has been impacted differently but our discussions with you have shown your resilience and determination to adapt and continue. It’s more important than ever to support our local businesses – whether it’s food, retail, health or manufacturing. Get behind local businesses. #shoplocal You can also now follow us on our new business page facebook.com/CharlesSturtBusiness
yet another benefit to our community.
The project represents the culmination of 20 years of work by the City of Charles Sturt dating back to when flood mapping was first undertaken in the area.
Works are expected to be completed in December 2020. charlessturt.sa.gov.au/ portroaddrainageproject
responded to a significant increase in demand for flu vaccines, whilst continuing to deliver their regular programs. One of our dedicated Flu Clinic sessions saw over 150 people receive vaccines, all whilst meeting social distancing requirements. Protecting our community and delivering a great customer experience is our priority.
The role of this team has been more important than ever, providing an enormous amount of support and education to our community and helping residents and businesses to understand the public health implications and ever changing legislative compliance requirements. As restrictions across the State have changed, the level of support to our community has increased, requiring our staff to be agile, innovative and truly customer centric.
Customer Contact: Recognised as the face and voice of our Council, answering many diverse queries about our services and offerings, the COVID-19 pandemic has enhanced their role in supporting our organisation and our community. As we altered our service delivery, the team adapted and then shared these changes with our community via phone, live chat and face-to-face.
Immunisation: The team at the St Clair Recreation Centre has
Community Safety and Environmental Health: With more people now at home, we have had an increase in a range of customer complaints, such as noise, illegal parking, local nuisance and vermin.
Our staff have continued to be out and about, providing education and encouragement to maintain a safe community including the continuation of food and health based business inspections and attending private properties to follow up a matter or complaint. Over 5,000 businesses and open spaces have been assessed over this time.
Environmental Health Officers are now reviewing COVID-Safe Plans and providing advice and reporting non-compliance to SAPOL as observed.
As restrictions ease, Public Health & Safety will continue to be at the forefront of education, support and guidance.
Every week the Findon Skid Kids opens its gates for members and the newly interested to race around the dirt track on modified race bikes (with no gears or brakes!). This friendly, community club was founded in 1958 by a 15 year old Mick Harley so there was a local spot to ride his bike, getting approval from Council to use an area of land in Findon. The welcoming and caring club reflects Mick’s compassionate nature, with bikes available for members and newbies wanting to trial the sport, and members helping each other with bike repairs and acceptance to all people. These values carry forward as Mick spent his life invested in the growth of his community, endeavouring to provide opportunities to as many people as he could reach.
Over the years, Mick and his wife Shirley would foster or sponsor children, they have grown up now but still consider Mick as a father. He would also financially assist Skid Kids to build bikes or travel to international tournaments, at one stage even mortgaging his house to do so.
Mick served as an elected member for 12 years at the City of Charles Sturt and for his dedication and service to the community in July 2019 he was bestowed with the award of Freeman of the City, adding to his previous honour of receiving a Medal of the Order of Australia for his tireless work with the Findon Skid Kids and fundraising for charitable organisations.
Sadly Mick recently passed away from cancer, leaving behind a caring family, genuine friends, up to 4 generations of Skid Kids and many admirers.
Next time you drive down Reserve Parade, you’ll notice a name change at the park next door to the Findon Speedway. Get out and visit Mick Harley Reserve with tennis courts, playground and oval, and if it’s a Sunday, catch a race or two of the daredevils on the track.
The Public Health & Safety team has played a pivotal role in helping to keep our community safe and informed during COVID-19.
If you’ve driven down Reserve Parade on a Sunday, you may have wondered about the buzz of activity on the corner of Judith Avenue.
In May, the City of Charles Sturt successfully secured State Government funding to continue our commitment to the rehabilitation and restoration of the River Torrens at Breakout Creek.
Stage 3 of the redevelopment program, which aims to set the benchmark for urban waterway restoration internationally, will receive $2 million from the State Government’s Open Spaces and Places for People Grants towards the delivery of the $12 million project.
Key objectives of the plan include improving accessibility and safety in the area, boosting recreation opportunities for the public and enhancing biodiversity in the area and will showcase the stories of our Kaurna heritage and the riparian journey from the Adelaide Hills to the coast.
WATCH: Head to our YouTube channel to discover the on ground achievements made during the River Torrens Recovery Project.
We have partnered with the Adelaide Bee Sanctuary over the past five years, bringing the joy of bees to our community gardens and community centres. In June we worked together again to install an observation beehive, a See Hive (get it?), right in the middle of the Civic Library.
Once the See Hive is full of bees, you’ll be able to see the inner workings of a real beehive. You’ll see nectar and pollen being
brought in, and honey being made right in front of your eyes. You may even get to see baby bees being born. Keep an eye on our Libraries Facebook page to hear the latest updates and community sessions about our newest residents.
WATCH: Learn all about the Honey Bee with our Bite-size Bee videos on our YouTube channel.
Since 2015 we have worked with fauNature to install 95 wildlife or fauna boxes across our City. Affectionately known as the Treebnb project, the boxes are useful in an urban environment as substitute for hollows that would naturally form in a tree.
Some species such as Brushtail Possums and Adelaide Rosellas are totally dependent upon hollows. The boxes provide them with extra protection for feeding, nesting and rest. Over the course of the project,
we’ve even created boxes for our river friends – the ducks. The project has also been a great opportunity to work with various schools in our community.
This year, we will be installing 100 additional boxes along Port Road. With many new trees planted during the Port Road Drainage Project, the additional fauna boxes will help with nesting and roosting to support our valued wildlife.
We are pleased to announce the City of Charles Sturt has signed on as a founding member of national advocacy group Climate Emergency Australia.
In May we reaffirmed Council’s commitment in building a sustainable future for our community, with our representation on Climate Emergency Australia’s advisory committee. This group will help to shape the response of councils to the challenges of climate change across Australia.
This announcement complements the work we are already doing in educating and advocating for change.
World Environment Day was held on 5 June and our staff were invited to a webinar focussed on the impact of climate change. This year’s theme was ‘Time for Nature’, highlighting the link between our environment and our own health and reminding us that we all have an opportunity to do things differently for a better future.
Our own climate emergency declaration also acknowledges that we need to do things
differently with the warming of our planet impacting the wellbeing of plants, animals and humans.
Professor Will Steffen, an earth system scientist and Councillor on the Climate Council of Australia, presented and spoke about the science behind the climate emergency and the impact COVID-19 may have on the approach to climate change.
As a Council we have already implemented a number of significant actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions including:
• The LED street light change over which will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but is also expected to save up to 75% in energy and maintenance costs
• The energy efficiency upgrade at the Woodville Civic Centre resulting in a 20% energy use reduction and significant cost
savings that were reinvested into the Community Green Buildings Grants for energy efficiency and solar installations for community groups in Council buildings
• Installation of 45kW of solar panels on Council occupied buildings and intending to install an additional 240kW within the next year
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions must be partnered with working to adapt to the impacts of climate change. Council’s adaptation work is led by its participation in AdaptWest, the western Adelaide region climate change adaptation group and includes neighbouring councils, Port Adelaide Enfield and West Torrens.
We look forward to sharing new developments and project news with you. Keep an eye on our website for the latest news and information.
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Puppies are fun, unpredictable and will have you getting up at night just like a newborn! We’ve put together some useful things to consider now that you have a new furry family member.
• By 3 months of age your puppy needs to be registered on dogsandcatsonline.com.au
We offer special prices for all
puppies under 6 months
• Microchipping is compulsory and it plays a vital role in keeping your puppy safe
• It is compulsory that all dogs born after 1 July 2018 are desexed by 6 months of age. Talk to your vet if you need more information.
• Poo bags – don’t leave home without them, it is a
XETALOCOHCXESNOI
requirement that you pick up after your dog
• Leads must be under 2m in length and your dog needs to be on a lead on all roads and footpaths. While there are off leash areas in our City, please be aware of the rules (your dog needs to be on a lead near playgrounds).
Check out our website for more details charlessturt.sa.gov.au/ dogs
Your dog and cat registration renewals have been sent to you and dog registrations are due for payment by 31 August 2020.
To update your details please log into your account on dogsandcatsonline.com.au
With restrictions now easing, Libraries and Community Centres are again offering a range of events and activities, both at the centres and online. From our regular baby and storytime sessions to workshops focussed on growing your digital skillset (online shopping anyone?) and classes which tap into your
creative side, the groups are a great way to meet and socialise with others.
charlessturt.sa.gov.au/events
The school holiday program is back! Discover the fun, interactive and educational activities for your
big and little kids at our libraries and community centres. As there may be restrictions on numbers, bookings are essential for most sessions.
charlessturt.sa.gov.au/ schoolholidays