Kaleidoscope - March 2021

KALEIDOSCOPE

MAYOR’S MESSAGE

Hello everyone, and welcome to our first edition for 2021. Many in our community have been eager to put 2020 firmly behind them as they start afresh this year, and we look forward to supporting our economic and social recovery from COVID-19.

I join those of you who are looking to a future where we connect together, support each other, and work hard to recover as a community.

This year, we forge ahead, and celebrate our diversity. We come from over 105 different cultures, and we have all chosen to call this area our home.

This is something that unites us. We pride ourselves on being a city for all people; wherever you are from, you are home. A city where people feel safe, included and connected to others. It is an incredible privilege to encourage people from all walks of life to harmoniously participate together; we are a place where people feel they belong. And we champion this unity in our diversity.

In 2021, we will improve the services we provide, and we will begin planning and

preparing for what our community will look like in 10, 20, and 30 years time.

Rolling out changes to our waste services this year, collaborating across councils to achieve better outcomes and financially responsible services, developing strong emissions targets and environmental support are key areas that will challenge us as a community. These challenges present opportunities to be progressive and courageous. Our business sector is a highly valued part of our community, and our support and enabling of their goals and dreams is especially important as we all work to recover from the COVID-19 hurdles of last year.

In this edition of Kaleidoscope, we recognise with excitement our Australia Day Awards community winners on page 4. Our Reconciliation Project on page 6 introduces reconciliation as a journey for all Australians – as individuals, families, communities, organisations and importantly as a nation. At the heart of this journey are relationships between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

When we all aspire to a vision of excellence, then our world is transformed. If we want to transform our world, it begins with us.

MAYOR

Angela Evans (08) 8408 1103

angelaevans@charlessturt.sa.gov.au

COUNCILLORS

Beverley Ward

Cr Edgar Agius, OAM, JP (08) 8445 7643 | 0424 451 154 eagius@charlessturt.sa.gov.au

Cr Matt Mitchell 0415 350 740

mmitchell@charlessturt.sa.gov.au

Findon Ward

Cr Helen Hibeljic 0431 072 073

hhibeljic@charlessturt.sa.gov.au

Cr George Turelli (08) 8356 7169 | 0419 999 575 gturelli@charlessturt.sa.gov.au

Grange Ward

Cr Sarah McGrath 0474 544 936 smcgrath@charlessturt.sa.gov.au

Cr Tom Scheffler (08) 7225 2782 tscheffler@charlessturt.sa.gov.au

Henley Ward

Cr Paul Sykes, JP 0414 499 394 psykes@charlessturt.sa.gov.au Cr Kenzie van den Nieuwelaar 0450 869 935 kvandennieuwelaar@charlessturt.sa.gov.au

Hindmarsh Ward

Cr Paul Alexandrides 0418 500 924 palexandrides@charlessturt.sa.gov.au

Cr Alice Campbell 0425 351 177 acampbell@charlessturt.sa.gov.au

Semaphore Park Ward

Cr Gerard Ferrao, JP 0411 775 391

gferrao@charlessturt.sa.gov.au

Cr Stuart Ghent, JP (08) 8449 9430 | 0418 499 431 sghent@charlessturt.sa.gov.au

West Woodville Ward

Cover: Anthony maintains a garden of flowers, herbs and vegetables in his front verge at St Clair

This publication is produced on 100% recycled, Australian made paper and manufactured 100% carbon neutral. FSC® is the highest and most trustworthy international certification for sustainable forestry.

Cr Kelly Thomas 0450 220 487 kellythomas@charlessturt.sa.gov.au

Cr Tolley Wasylenko, JP (08) 8268 3249 | 0428 282 624 twasylenko@charlessturt.sa.gov.au

Woodville Ward

Cr Oanh Nguyen 0413 333 189 onguyen@charlessturt.sa.gov.au

Cr Charlotte Watson 0411 338 789 cwatson@charlessturt.sa.gov.au

VISIT OUR IMMUNISATION CLINIC

THE CITY OF CHARLES STURT MEANS THE WORLD

Did you know that when you visit the Immunisation Clinic, located at the St Clair Recreation Centre, you are visiting an award-winning team?

Last year, our Clinic was announced as winners in the Minister for Health & Wellbeing - Excellence in Public Health Awards 2020 and the team were as proud as punch. We couldn’t think of a more deserving and welcoming team to win this award in what was, and continues to

HELP KEEP OUR KIDS SAFE

be, a challenging time for public health. The annual Immunisation Calendar is available on our website which also includes key clinic times and our public flu vaccine sessions, as well as information on the roll out of the National COVID-19 vaccine. charlessturt. sa.gov.au/immunisation

You may have noticed a new look for this edition of Kaleidoscope. It is the first of many ways we will introduce a new theme: “The City of Charles Sturt means the world”.

The City of Charles Sturt is home to 105 diverse cultures that have made our City a vibrant and dynamic community unlike any other in South Australia. We want to celebrate this rich tapestry of culture within our community.

something “means the world” we are saying it is extremely important to us.

We have worked with local schools to establish a comprehensive traffic management and parking scheme in the streets surrounding schools which helps to keep our kids safe. We’ve also put together a School Safety Program, designed to remind all road users of the speed limits, parking restrictions and signage found around schools. This is a great resource to share with your school or kindy and it includes tips to help educate our kids about the road rules too. To download your copy visit charlessturt.sa.gov.au/schoolsafety

The words “means the world” have a dual meaning. Quite literally they mean our City is a place where people from all over the world have chosen to call home. It also represents the importance of our home. When we say

With “The City of Charles Sturt means the world” we are celebrating not only what makes our City unique, but also how important the place we have chosen to call home is to us all.

Look out for some new banners on Port Rd and check out the video celebrating our special community on social media and our website at charlessturt.sa.gov.au

CELEBRATING OUR EXTRAORDINARY COMMUNITY

This Australia Day we welcomed, celebrated and felt immensely proud of our community at our Australia Day Citizenship and Awards ceremony.

Over 110 people from our diverse City were welcomed as citizens, coming from a range of countries including Afghanistan, Albania, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Brazil, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Fiji, Greece, Guinea, Hong Kong, India, Ireland,

Kuwait, Liberia, Mexico, Nepal, New Zealand, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States and Vietnam. Congratulations to all.

We also celebrated some extraordinary community members at our Australia Day Awards ceremony, presented by Mayor Angela Evans and CEO Paul Sutton. A special mention and thank you must go to all of our nominees, with a big congratulations to our winners.

Mayor Angela Evans with our winners Daphne Hooper, Graeme Gibson, West Beach SLSC’s Pink and Blue Swim/Walk (Paul Rafanelli, Isabella Domhoff and Lynne Collins) and Layan Mohammed

CITIZEN

OF

THE

YEAR –GRAEME GIBSON

Graeme has been recognised for his achievements as President of the Woodville Rugby Union Football Club. During the last six years he has led the Club through a rebuild of new facilities, the increase and development of their juniors’ program and through the many challenges of COVID-19. The relationships he’s built with the Rugby Union SA and other Clubs has been invaluable in allowing the Woodville Club to continue to function and grow to the Club that they are today.

SENIOR CITIZEN OF THE YEAR – DAPHNE HOOPER

Daphne has been recognised for her extensive volunteer contributions with the Woodville South Neighbourhood Watch Group and Findon Meals on Wheels. Daphne is dedicated and passionate about servicing her community and ensuring they are safe and that elderly residents have access to healthy and nutritious meals.

COMMUNITY EVENT OF THE YEAR – WEST BEACH SLSC PINK & BLUE SWIM/WALK

The West Beach SLSC have been recognised for their coordination of their annual Pink and Blue Swim/Walk fundraising event for breast and prostate cancer. The event is run entirely by volunteers and 100% of the funds raised are distributed equally to their breast and prostate cancer charity partners. The event has raised over $250,000 to date with funds raised being used to improve treatment and outcomes to members in our community suffering from breast and prostate cancers.

YOUNG CITIZEN OF THE YEAR – LAYAN MOHAMMED

Layan has been recognised for her extensive contributions through the Henley SLSC, Henley Football Club and countless other community organisations. She is an inspirational role model, not only to her generation but to our community, she represents everything we want the City of Charles Sturt to value - multiculturalism, diversity, teamwork, environment, compassion and community. Layan was also recently awarded the South Australian Young Citizen of the Year award at a presentation event on 18 January.

Our community is at the heart of everything we do and our Australia Day Ambassador, Jenny Williams, shared some advice for all “Spend a moment noticing the plight of others and noticing the things we have lucked into. Empower anyone you can by giving them an opportunity, make others bigger, be a seconder and finally celebrate not only the big things but more importantly the little everyday joys you can bring to the world. Every day take a walk, say hi to your neighbours, smile as often as possible and say thank you to those who serve you that morning coffee. It is in making others feel valued that your life will be enriched.”

A CLUB FOR EVERYONE

THE ART OF RECONCILIATION

Head to Henley Beach during summer and you’ll find a Nippers class with a difference.

Snippers is a special program run by the Henley Surf Life Saving Club and has been designed to support children with disabilities or special needs, and encourages confidence, independence, and some space to simply enjoy the beach.

We visited on a Saturday in January and met instructor Sam, her class of children, the Nipper volunteers and a welcoming group of parents.

Rebecca attends every week with Micah, 12.

“Micah generally doesn’t leave my side and can’t participate in structured activities. Here he’s developed trust and learnt that it’s important to be

safe on the beach. All the volunteers who work with the kids are amazing and we feel part of the club because everyone gets involved with the class.”

Jody comes with Lachlan, 11. “Lachlan loves water and here it’s a safe environment. He also enjoys the predictability of the program and having independence. We love the community atmosphere too.”

This award-winning program is part of Henley Surf Life Saving Club’s Inclusive Beaches, Community and Diversity initiative. If you want to know more about the Club visit henleyslsc.com.au

The Art of Reconciliation is a collaboration between the Cities of Charles Sturt and Port Adelaide Enfield and features a diverse range of Aboriginal people talking about their personal experiences in and of society. A documentary and stand alone digital stories will be produced featuring a series of interviews and conversations around each sitters’ experience of being a member of Australian society and reconciliation in the 21st Century.

During the interview process and sittings, an artist will produce a portrait, with an exhibition of the resulting artworks, documentaries and stills photography to be launched on the eve of Reconciliation Week 2021 - Wednesday 26 May at The Port Community Arts Centre. The exhibition will then be on display at the City of Charles Sturt Civic Centre from Wednesday 2 June.

Eight Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sitters with a diversity of age, gender and life experience have been identified and eight artists were identified through an Expressions of Interest process, with Channel 44, led by producer Albert Jamae selected to produce the documentary. Channel 44 have recently partnered with SA Film Corporation on its First Nations Screen Strategy, where they are engaging with local Indigenous filmmakers, creating opportunities to further skills and industry experience.

Reconciliation is a journey for all Australians – as individuals, families, communities, organisations and importantly as a nation. At the heart of this journey are relationships between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Look out for updates on the project on our website.

WHAT’S NEW AT YOUR LIBRARY?

When was the last time you stepped foot inside a library?

For some of you, it might have been years. It could be all the way back when you were in primary school, or at university looking for a quiet place to study. Maybe even since your child was a baby and you wanted a place to socialise with other new parents.

However long it’s been, libraries are here to connect with you and our community, and we are constantly adding and adapting our services to remain relevant to today’s needs.

In fact, we have shifted far from the stereotypical view of libraries being old and quiet spaces filled with musty smelling books. We offer so many services that you might not even think of linking with your local library.

Do you want to hire a bike for free? Come into our Hindmarsh and West Lakes Libraries with your ID and hop onto a bike supplied by Bicycle SA for the day. Make sure you return it before we close.

Are you looking for a new craft or hobby to occupy your time? Our great range of core collections such as gardening and cooking, or our specialised collections on topics like parenting or adult literacy are great resources that you can borrow from us anytime. We even run hands-on events regularly throughout the year, with anything from making bee wraps to how to write.

Like something sweet in your tea or coffee? Buy a jar of Adelaide Bee Sanctuary

honey at any of our libraries, or visit some real bees in action with our Observation Bee Hive at the Civic Library and learn more about how crucial their survival is for our community’s future.

Don’t want to come into the library? Browse our Digital Library from the comfort of your own home instead. There’s ebooks, audiobooks, movies, music and much more to explore for free with your membership.

We offer so many services that you might not even think of linking with your local library.

Joining the library right now gives you an even sweeter deal than our honey. Join us in person and you will receive one of three special library merchandise on offer – a tree recyclable bamboo cup designed by local artist Sarah Boese, a canvas bag or bag of Sanctuary bee seeds.

It may have been years since you last visited your local library, but it isn’t too late to start today.

VERGES ALIVE

We recently developed a new Community Verge Policy, Guidelines and Checklist to help you to revitalise and maintain your verge in a way that best suits you. It’s been created to help encourage not only those with a green thumb to extend their skills to the street but also invites others to give gardening a go.

Want to know how to get started? Head to our website and search ‘verge garden’ for a range of helpful tips and ideas. To assist with a vision for your verge, we’ve also been working with a wonderful group of community members over the past year to develop a resource featuring verge designs and planting plans (launching soon). Additionally,

through a Place Making grant, we have combined our efforts to develop verges in Wilpena Terrace, Kilkenny and Miell Street, West Croydon which may be well worth a visit.

For residents with verges assessed as being suitable, we can also supply raised garden beds (wicking beds) at a subsidised cost. These bring a new level of innovation to planter boxes as they operate to be self-watering, making the maintenance of your verge that much easier.

VERGES ALIVE EVENT AND OFFER

Sophie Thomson from Gardening Australia will be at

our Civic Centre 2pm – 4pm on Sunday 23 May 2021, to launch our Verges Alive resource, along with Mark Smith from Adelaide Hills Veggie Gardens who will demonstrate the planter box and wicking bed system. There will also be lots of time for questions, with our staff on hand to assist too.

Plus, look out for our $10 ‘verge packs’ offer too, providing a discount on 10 plant packs to help you to start your verge (you’ll need to get in quick, there is limited stock).

And bring your verges alive.

VIDEO: See how St Clair resident Anthony has transformed his verge.

IT’S BACK! RECEIVE 10 PLANTS FOR JUST $10.

If you’re a Charles Sturt resident, property owner, business or school, you can purchase a voucher for 10 locally indigenous plants (rrp $30) from the Civic Centre (72 Woodville Road, Woodville) or by calling 8408 1111.

You’ll then be able to use your voucher to redeem it on an allocated collection day, or directly from the supplier.

Stocks are limited and purchase limits apply. Offer ends 18 June (or until sold out). For all the details visit charlessturt.sa.gov. au/10-plants-for-$10

HAVE YOU SEEN OUR TREE TAGS?

We are sharing the stories of some of our beautiful trees with a trial of tree tags at Point Malcolm Reserve and our Civic Centre. Featuring the tree name, age and potential height, the tags also share the environmental benefits.

Share your pics with us #charlessturtsa #trees #treetags

Keen on creating your own verge garden? Verge gardens can be the perfect opportunity to restore some beauty to your street and can also bring neighbours together.

CARER SUPPORT WITH A DIFFERENCE

ANZAC DAY AT HOME

We often feel considerable satisfaction providing care to our loved ones. This can positively affect our health and wellbeing, however caring for a person living in the community in poor health or loss of memory is not without challenges.

Our new program “All Together at Arch”, run by the Ageing Well team, has been created to cater to those who provide informal support to their loved ones and for everyone to join in on fun, inclusive and meaningful activities and share a meal. This program will support you and your loved one in a small group environment with staff support and the opportunity to connect with others who may be living in a similar situation.

If you think this program is for you, join us for a free information forum, which

will discuss eligibility, our vision for this program, service delivery plans and offer opportunities for you to share your voice about what is important to you as either an informal carer or loved one receiving informal care.

Forum details: Arch Paterson Community Centre 64 Blight Street, Ridleyton 10.30am - 12.30pm Thursday 22 April 2021 Morning tea provided

To reserve your spot: Lissy Oxfordloxford@charlessturt. sa.gov.au, 8408 1355 Robyn Janssanrjanssan@charlessturt. sa.gov.au, 8408 1309

You’ll find more information about the program on our website charlessturt. sa.gov.au/whatson

To keep everyone COVIDSafe, Henley and Grange RSL advise the community that this Anzac Day, 6am, Sunday 25 April, there will be a private service for veterans only. This will be a ticketed event. Contact your local RSL to find out how they will commemorate the day.

We again encourage everyone to stand outside their driveway and light a candle to remember the veterans who served our country.

We will remember them. Lest we forget.

REIMAGINING CRAWFORD LANE

COLLABORATING WITH OUR COMMUNITY

Have you seen the beautiful mural adoring the Holbrooks Road underpass, featured on the cover our previous edition of Kaleidoscope?

they enjoyed most about the process:

Providing a vital link between Port Road and Manton Street, Hindmarsh and a gateway to Coopers Stadium, Crawford Lane has been reimagined and brought to life as a laneway for the people.

Through community engagement with local businesses and community organisations to develop the Hindmarsh Placemaking Masterplan, Crawford Lane was identified as a placemaking initiative. Given the road asset was due for renewal, this provided us the perfect opportunity to re-think the design of the road, and the current and future use of the space, in what is heavily a business and entertainment precinct.

With mural art adorning the walls, bespoke seating for the dual use of seating and as a traffic calming device, creative festoon lighting to

illuminate the space (as part of Illuminating Hindmarsh) and landscaping, it really has transformed the space.

For the many fans attending games at the stadium, the laneway is now providing a useful thoroughfare to/ from Port Road, the tram and various locations nearby.

As we rethink our roads and how we can better use the infrastructure, we look at the surrounding landscape and plan for the future – Crawford Lane is a classic example of how we can transform a road into a place for people. With the State Government also soon to inject $45 million into Hindmarsh Stadium, this laneway is a timely addition to the Hindmarsh precinct.

Visible from Holbrooks Road, the mural was a collaboration between Aboriginal artist Shane Mankitya Cook and students from the adjacent Nazareth High School. Working with the students through development of the design, the collaboration also provided young people with an Aboriginal cultural learning experience. Not only does the mural brighten the space but it highlights the cultural importance of the river. The mural, painted by Shane Mankitya Cook and Tom Readett, is using contemporary colours chosen by the students.

The River Torrens Linear Park has a high level of usage both by walkers and cyclists and is a key link between the city and the beach. The underpass location has traditionally experienced a high level of tagging and this mural opportunity is seen as a positive way to change this and acknowledge the importance of Kaurna lands and rivers.

We asked some of the students involved, what

“Getting to brainstorm and experiment with different art mediums. I also liked getting to try some aboriginal artwork. It felt really cool to get to be a part of an art project that would be displayed outside of the school.”

Bianca - Year 8 Student, Nazareth Catholic College

“That something I designed and is special to me will be included in the mural.”

Marie - Year 8 Student, Nazareth Catholic College

“Thinking of what plants and design have significance or importance behind them and thinking outside the square.”

Elysia - Year 8 Student, Nazareth Catholic College

“That we could express ourselves on paper. I feel proud about being involved and contributing.”

Ruby - Year 8 Student, Nazareth Catholic College

ACTIVE TRAVEL ON THE INCREASE

New figures have shown that 2020 was a record-breaking year for cycling with significant increases in cycling numbers identified across our main routes meaning many more locals and visitors are using our strategic cycling corridors for recreational use, exercise or as a commute.

OUTER HARBOR GREENWAY (OHG)

There has been a sharp increase along the Outer Harbor Greenway cycling route, providing a safe and direct route from the CBD all the way through to Outer Harbor. Use of the path has recorded 10,326 cyclists in January 2021, up from 7,903 12 months prior.

This increase reflects trends showing consistent increases in cycling, following on from significant infrastructure works along the OHG to improve rider safety over recent years, including:

→ Torrens Rail Junction – improved access to Park Terrace underpass through Bowden Station Upgrade (2017)

→ T2T – provision of South Road Pedestrian/Cyclist Overpass (2017)

→ Raised intersections constructed along Day Terrace (2018/19)

→ Upgraded shared-use path connection through MJ McInerney Reserve (2019)

→ LED lighting upgrades along the Greenway, including a trial of smart lighting along the path between the Woodville and St Clair railway stations (2019)

→ Improved wayfinding signs (2020)

→ Raised intersections constructed along Belmore Terrace (2020)

→ Construction of a bike link between Belmore Terrace and David Terrace (2020)

RIVER TORRENS LINEAR PARK (RTLP)

There has also been strong use identified along the RTLP with 18,285 cyclists recorded in January 2021. With recent works on both the Findon Road and South Road underpasses and paths, which has significantly improved the safety of not only cyclists but all path users, we expect to see further increased use of this key route following access resuming along the Linear Park path at South Road.

Over the last few years there has been significant investment of approximately $4 million on the RTLP route:

→ River Street path upgrade (2014)

→ Holbrooks Road underpass construction (2014)

→ South Road underpass renewal (2020)

→ Hindmarsh Cemetery path upgrade (completed March 2021)

→ Kidman Park path renewal (completion due July 2021)

Future works have been identified to further invest in this cycling corridor:

→ Breakout Creek upgrade - including lights and paths (late 2021)

→ Lighting upgrade on the path between Findon Road and the City of Charles Sturt boundary at Riverway, Fulham Gardens (2021/2022)

→ Lighting upgrade on the path between Findon Road and Kanbara Street, Flinders Park (2022/23)

→ Underpass and path upgrade at Port Road and along Adam Street (2022/23)

With significant investment in our cycling links, and more to come, active travel is a strong focus for us to continue to build on and improve within Charles Sturt.

Get on your bike and start exploring our City via our cycling links.

Visit our website to find out more charlessturt.sa.gov.au/cyclinglinks

GET YOUR KITCHEN CADDY

SUPPORT DURING EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS

Extreme weather events can bring on heat, strong wind or heavy rain and can cause damage which may impact essential services and cause property damage.

branches to assisting with sand bagging if needed.

You can monitor an extreme weather event via the Bureau of Meteorology bom.gov.au. In an extreme weather event:

We are offering all households a free ventilated kitchen caddy and roll of compostable bags delivered to your house. All food scraps simply go into the lined kitchen caddy, which you can then empty directly into your green organics bin every 2-3 days.

charlessturt.sa.gov. au/kitchencaddy

RUN OUT OF BAGS?

Come in to our Civic Centre or any of our Libraries to pick up another roll for free – just bring ID to confirm you’re a Charles Sturt resident.

Our Field Services team, which includes our Rapid Response and After Hours team, work proactively with the community to identify hazards before they become an issue. Covering a designated area daily, this may be the removal of a fallen tree branch or working on an overflowing stormwater drain reported by a member of the public. The team will then make the necessary repairs.

During an extreme weather event, you’ll also find the After Hours team responding to calls from the public, covering everything from fallen tree

NEW KERBSIDE WASTE AND RECYCLING COLLECTION CONTRACTOR

We have appointed a new kerbside waste and recycling collection contractor starting from 1 May 2021.

Our current collection contract with Solo Resource Recovery will continue until 30 April 2021 when the new contract with Cleanaway will begin.

A new annual calendar will be delivered in April with updated collection and contact information.

For information regarding our waste and recycling services please visit charlessturt.sa.gov.au/ threebinservice

→ If you are experiencing a life threatening emergency call 000

→ If you are experiencing damage to your homes or businesses call the State Emergency Service (SES) on 132 500

→ If there is damage to local areas including roads, paths, parks and reserves, call us on 8408 1111 (24/7)

You can find more information about what to do in extreme weather situations on our website.

A SCENT-SATIONAL NEW DOG SPACE

The Dog Scentsory Garden, at Woodville West, is one of the first purpose built, SCENT-sational sniff spaces.

The small, fully-enclosed off lead area is ideal for dogs that like to go on sniffari. This space is not designed for play or socialisation, but rather to encourage one or two dogs at a time to sniff and explore to their heart’s content.

More importantly, this space is a wonderful resource for well-behaved, friendly dogs that prefer to avoid our larger dog parks. Sometimes traditional dog parks can be very overwhelming for young, old or shy dogs that need to build their confidence. We are pleased to be able to encourage parents of those dogs (who are still dog-friendly) to use this space.

The sniff space is ideal for:

→ puppies (fully vaccinated) who can’t walk far or that don’t like rough play

→ older or arthritic dogs that like to explore things slowly

→ dogs needing to rebuild strength after fully recovering from surgery where a slow-paced off lead wander will do them good (with the allokay from the vet of course!)

If your dog loves a rambunctious play with other dogs, this isn’t the park for you. Instead, please use our other playcentric dog parks located at Albert Greenshields Reserve, Tedder Reserve, Sam Johnson Reserve or St Clair.

VIDEO: Discover our newest dog space with Gwen.

Why is sniffing so good?

Dogs need to sniff as a way to process and learn about the world around them. They have an organ in the roof of their mouth (the vomeronasal organ) that takes smells directly to the right section of the brain for quick processing, and they have a much larger proportion of their brain devoted to cataloguing scents than we do.

Sniffing can also be very tiring and calming for dogs – the mental arithmetic involved in sorting scents is huge! You might find that 15 minutes of focused sniffing in this space tires them out just as much as a 30 minute run somewhere else.

You can find out more about how you can encourage sniffing, or go on your very own sniffari walk at charlessturt.sa.gov.au/sniffari

NEWS AND WHAT’S ON

SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAM

SCHOOL HOLIDAY SPORTS PROGRAM

During the April and October school holidays every year, we offer our free School Holiday Sports Program. Working with various local clubs and organisations around our City, the free program gives families the opportunity to try out different sports from karate, dance and soccer, to tennis and baseball.

James from Ready Steady Go Kids, loves being part of the program.

“We enjoy seeing so many kids and parents involved in our program at one time. It’s amazing how popular (School Holiday Sports Program) is. It also creates a fun, energetic environment and is great to introduce new people to our program.”

“Ready Steady Go Kids is a multisport program for children aged 18 months – 6 years of age and we change it up a bit for the Program, running up to four sports at a time during our sessions. The kids end up exhausted by the end which I am sure some parents appreciate.

The program has been great to increase the exposure of our brand in the western suburbs. When we first commenced classes at the St Clair Recreation Centre, we were running 1 or 2 mornings a week. We are now at the centre daily during school terms. This is strongly due to the exposure this program has created for our club.”

Bookings are essential. To register visit charlessturt. sa.gov.au/holidaysports

School Holidays are on from 10 April to 27 April and we will again be running programs and events across our libraries, community centres alongside our ever-popular School Holiday Sports Program (public holidays excluded). Suitable for ages 3 - 17, bookings are essential for most events. charlessturt.sa.gov.au/ schoolholidays

SUPPORT LOCAL

MEANINGFUL AGEING WORKSHOPS

Look out for our Meaningful Ageing Workshops, a series especially for the over 50s designed to help navigate and support our community on what ageing well means in today’s world. If you need more information, contact Robyn Janssan on 8408 1309. charlessturt.sa.gov.au/ whatson

Through our Economic Stimulus Package (ESP), launch last year, we have been offering local businesses and musicians a variety of different grants. The following grants are still available:

→ #shoplocal – This initiative aims to bring life back to our main streets by helping businesses reconnect with their customers.

→ Live and Local – Supports local musicians and small businesses to access funding for live and online events.

Further info: charlessturt.sa.gov.au/grants

SA’S NEW PLANNING SYSTEM IS NOW LIVE

South Australia’s new planning system for large regional towns and metropolitan areas is now operational, allowing development applications to be submitted and tracked online for the first time via a new ePlanning platform.

Access the platform at plan.sa.gov.au

CITY

PINK & BLUE SWIM

West Beach was a flood of pink and blue for this year’s Pink and Blue Swim/Walk, raising funds for breast and prostate cancer.

WESTERN BUSINESS LEADERS

The Western Business Leaders’ Welcome Back to Business Breakfast was a great opportunity to share experiences and inspiration for the year ahead.

HIDDEN HINDMARSH

A great day discovering local venues and enjoying local music, thanks to Adelaide Guitar Festival’s Hidden Hindmarsh.

Photos: Pink & Blue Swim

Photos: Claudio Raschella