City Life | Issue 86 | Autumn 2020

WINNER AR BLUETT MEMORIAL AWARD 2018

‘Most progressive council in NSW’

CITY LIFE Autumn Edition | Issue 86 March 2020

GAME CHANGER

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NEW $3.5M PITCH FOR FAIRFIELD SHOWGROUND

NYE ILLUMINATE EVENT OUR CITY’S EPIC INTRO TO 2020

SUPPORTING AFFECTED COMMUNITIES

BUSHFIRE APPEAL DRIVE

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AUSSIE SPIRIT SHINES

AUSTRALIA DAY AWARDS

MAYOR’S MESSAGE Frank Carbone

Council presents Horsley Park RFS members with plaques recognising their service

2020 was welcomed with the news of catastrophic bushfires gripping New South Wales and Victoria, which resulted in the tragic deaths of two Rural Fire Service volunteers from our Horsley Park Brigade, Geoffrey Keaton and Andrew O’Dwyer. While the rains have now come and gone, fundraising efforts between Council and the community saw us raise close to $130,000 to assist the families of Mr Keaton and Mr O’Dwyer, the Salvation Army Disaster Appeal; and the RSPCA Bushfire Appeal treating animals impacted by fires. Thank you to our fundraising partners and the community for your overwhelming generosity.

More than 7,000 revellers attended our New Year’s Eve ‘Illuminate’ event, taking place at the newly redeveloped Fairfield Showground. Council donated 100 percent of the entry fees to the Bushfire Appeal fundraising effort, and matched dollar for dollar community donations at the event.

Council’s 2020 vision for Fairfield City is one step closer to being realised as we build upon the success of 2019, with the delivery of exciting projects, services and events for the community.

While we welcome the completion of these projects with much anticipation, it is the merging of the old and new that has created the diverse patchwork of culture, history and modernity that makes this City thrive.

More than 7,000 people partied into 2020 at Illuminate

‘Discover Fairfield’ is a new Council tourism marketing campaign which shares insight about what is great in the area. Our fascinating history and rich cultural heritage is attracting a new wave of visitors in search of new things to see, eat and try.

The Discover Fairfield campaign captures the varied experiences, events and attractions on offer that highlight our region’s strengths, improve our economy, and increase the profile of our City.

Whether you’re new to exploring our region, or rediscovering what’s in your own backyard, I hope you’ll discover just why Fairfield City is truly where your passion for adventure is made possible.

Frank Carbone Mayor of Fairfield City fcarbone@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au One of Council’s Christmas Lights competition winners

@FC.FrankCarbone @FairfieldMayor

Information and events in this publication are current at the time of printing.

2020 winners join Mayor Frank Carbone, Councillors, the Hon. Chris Bowen, Ambassador Kumar Pereira and the 1st Fairfield Heights Scouts 2020 CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

Andy Snook 2020 YOUNG CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

Blanca Barrios 2020 VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR (joint winners)

Douglas Draper Kath Whiteley 2020 SPORTS ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR

Fabian Monge For more information on our winners please visit www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/ 2020-australiaday-winners

FAIRFIELD CITY AUSTRALIA DAY COMMUNITY AWARDS Dedication, hard work and lending a hand to others were the common themes at Council’s annual Australia Day awards ceremony in January. The ceremony, which took place at Aquatopia water park in Prairiewood, celebrated and recognised five residents who make valuable contributions to our community.

Congratulations to all the nominees on their achievements and thank you to Mr Kumar Pereira, for being our Fairfield City 2020 Australia Day Ambassador.

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Bring It On! Festival

SAT 4 APRIL 2020 12pm - 7pm FAIRFIELD SHOWGROUND

Culinary Carnival

SAT 30 MAY 2020 11am - 4pm FAIRFIELD CITY CENTRE

Bring It On! Festival is one of NSW’s biggest and best Youth Week events, showcasing the music, sporting and artistic talents of our local young people.

The streets of Fairfield City Centre will come alive for Culinary Carnival on Saturday 30 May with a world of sights, sounds and flavours as we celebrate our colourful and diverse community.

Held at Fairfield Showground on Saturday, 4 April, the awardwinning festival is a massive showcase of youth talent and culture for young people and their families.

Gather your friends and family and spend the day enjoying great music and entertainment while tantalising your tastebuds with tasty, authentic and traditional cuisines from around the world.

There will be an array of competitions and activities, including DJs, food trucks, rides, sports, yard games, photo booth, air-brush tattooing, giveaways and more. The Rainbow Run will also make its return bigger and better with more obstacles and colour!

The festival will run from 11am to 4pm in Spencer and Ware streets, Fairfield.

For more information, visit www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/ BringItOn or follow the #BringItOnfest crew on Facebook and Instagram.

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For more information, visit www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/ culinarycarnival or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

EASTER EVENTS Hop to it! Special Easter guests are coming to Fairfield City and they’re bringing sweet treats! Find them roaming the streets handing out free Easter eggs.

WEDNESDAY 8 APRIL Easter Bunny visits Canley Vale Town Centre 10am – 12pm Mrs Bunny visits Fairfield City Centre 11am – 2pm Easter Bunny visits Canley Heights Town Centre 1pm – 3pm SAT 21 MARCH 2020

Living Cultures 11am - 3pm Festival FAIRFIELD CITY MUSEUM & GALLERY

THURSDAY 9 APRIL Easter Bunny visits Cabramatta Town Centre 10am – 1pm

Living Cultures Festival is back again celebrating what makes Fairfield City unique, at Fairfield City Museum & Gallery.

Part of Harmony Day festivities, this event is a melting pot of Fairfield City’s diversity and talent from our rich cultural communities.

Come and see dancers and performances, indulge on culinary cuisines and enjoy cultural craft and activities for the whole family.

Visit www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/FCMG for more information.

FAIRFIELD EASTER FAIR 9-13 APRIL 2020 Fairfield Showground fairfieldeasterfair.com fairfieldeasterfair 5

2020 VISION UNFOLDING

New Fairfield business hub

New park for Villawood and Carramar

Deerbush Park

Deerbush Park at Fairfield Showground Work has begun on delivering a new playground for all abilities at Deerbush Park.

The park will include a Liberty Swing, wheelchair-accessible carousel, groundlevel trampoline, and an Exeloo with a change table that can be raised and lowered.

A ground-level ropes course, flying fox, water play space with squirters and dumping buckets, riding track, climbing net fort with slide, accessible riverbed crossing, water pump, sand digger, picnic tables and bench seating, voice tubes, trees and landscaping will also be included, providing a range of activities for children of all ages and abilities.

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New Fairfield Library and business hub Council is constructing a new library for Fairfield families at a new location in Hamilton Road.

The new library increases the available space to 1000 sq m, with the ability to expand to a second floor as the need arises. It will provide a greater variety of services for residents for an improved customer experience.

The current 660 sq m library at Kenyon Street will be transformed into a community and business hub. The new business hub will provide work desks, internet and wi-fi access; as well as spaces for meetings and seminars, to support the needs of Fairfield’s growing start-up business community. It will also offer additional flexible spaces for the community to use.

New park at Villawood Council is delivering a new 3200 sq m park at the corner of Koonoona and Karella avenues in Villawood, with work having commenced in January.

Designed for local families, the new park – the largest in the area - will feature a ground level ropes course allowing children to climb onto a rope net structure via a number of different climbing paths.

Other play items include a multiple seat swing set with a boat seat, and toddler play items with shade. Other active spaces include a permanent outdoor table tennis table, half basketball court, and dynamic and static exercise equipment.

A shelter with picnic seating is included as well as a circuit path, turf areas and multiple seating.

Smithfield and Richards roads intersection

Smithfield Road

Fairfield Showground

Fairfield Showground

Council is hard at work upgrading Smithfield Road from Elizabeth Drive to Polding Street.

Work continues to transform Fairfield Showground into a multicultural and sporting centre of excellence.

Work continues to widen Smithfield Road at Elizabeth Drive, separating the shared left and right turn lane into separate lanes onto Elizabeth Drive from Smithfield Road; as well as road widening between Dunstan and Berry streets at Fairfield West.

In January, Fairfield City Mayor Frank Carbone and Councillors officially opened the $3.5 million all-weather synthetic football field.

The high quality and hard-wearing playing surface can be divided to allow multiple hirers to use it at the same time and features powerful 200 lux lighting for night use.

When completed, Smithfield Road will offer 5.4km of four lane dual carriageway from Elizabeth Drive to Polding Street, improving safety and travel times along one of Fairfield City’s busiest roads.

Stages of the upgrade will be progressively opened throughout the year.

The neighbouring turf football field will be ready in time for the winter sports season.

The adjacent multipurpose amenities building is almost complete. It will feature a community space, kitchen/canteen, two large change rooms that can be divided into four, doctors’ rooms, restrooms, match official change rooms and bathrooms, gym/training room, office space, first aid and storage.

Tarlington Reserve

Tarlington Reserve amenity building Residents using Tarlington Reserve in Bonnyrigg now have better facilities with Fairfield City Council constructing a new amenities building.

Local sporting clubs, as well as residents and families who want to run or kick a ball, will be able enjoy the new amenities.

Council also installed lighting at a new minifield at Tarlington Reserve. The new lighting will allow more participation in training and games.

The amenities building has showers and toilets including an accessible toilet, canteen, store rooms, team and referees’ change rooms, inside and outside lighting, and a back to base alarm.

A new landmark Kugel Ball honouring the City’s diversity is also under construction at the main entrance to the Showground.

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AQUATOPIA WATER PARK

Offering the biggest and best rides, slides and attractions in the local area, Aquatopia promises a day of excitement for people of all ages.

Experience the thrills of the Fishpipe and Wave Rider, or get your pulse racing on the 10m and 20m high-speed slides; while young families can enjoy the Adventure Aqua Tower and Toddler Pool. Cabanas are available for party hire.

Open on weekends and school holidays from September through to April.

Aquatopia Water Park, Prairiewood Leisure Centre, Prairie Vale Rd, Prairiewood 9725 0337

Council wants you to rediscover what’s in your own backyard and you’ll soon see that there really is no place like home!

Adventure awaits those who seek it in Fairfield City’s unique play spaces with loads to see, do and try.

Need some inspiration to kick start your journey?

These attractions make for a great day out for the whole family.

Stay tuned for more tips to plan your discovery journey.

Purchase your tickets at www.fairfieldcityleisurecentres.com.au/ aquatopia

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BLAND OAK TREE

Standing at 13m tall with a 30m wide canopy, Oakdene Park’s historic Bland Oak Tree received recognition in 2018 when it was listed on the National Register of Significant Trees. Planted in 1850 by Dr William Bland, the striking beauty of the oak truly needs to be seen to be believed.

Take a leisurely stroll in the park or pack a picnic lunch while exploring this unique and fascinating symbol of our City’s history.

Oakdene Park, Bland St, Carramar

03

GET BACK ON TRACK

Western Sydney Parklands is home to more than 60km of tracks and trails. Come and explore them and get back to what really matters – nature, family, friends, and fun.

There are options for any level of fitness and different things to see and do depending on the path you take. Fresh air and natural beauty are guaranteed, no matter which one you choose.

Cowpasture Rd and Elizabeth Dr, Abbotsbury

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LANSDOWNE BRIDGE

This historic landmark boasts a sandstone arch that has the largest span of any surviving masonry bridge in Australia, making it a great example of Sydney’s remaining colonial architecture, and a great place for the family to discover. Lansvale Park is close by with a children’s playground that features a fun bike track with road markings, speed humps, a post box, service station and other fun parts for children to scoot or bike.

Hume Hwy, Lansvale

Experience ‘all the world in one place’ with a visit to Bibbys Place in Bonnyrigg, featuring several places of worship along one street including a mosque, Presbyterian church and Buddhist temple. Follow the Spirit of Bonnyrigg Walk with family in tow and you’ll traverse Bonnyrigg Park’s Bush Tucker Path, wetlands, and pass by several other local cultural sites which warmly welcome visitors to explore their practices.

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Image courtesy of Lachlan Hyde

Image courtesy of Western Sydney Parklands Trust

AROUND OUR CITY NEWS AND EVENTS

T

he community dug deep at Fairfield City Council’s New Year’s Eve bushfire fundraiser

Christmas cheer came to Epoch Plaza at the Lighting of the Christmas Tree in December

We welcomed 20 new citizens to our City on Australia Day

Here are some of the services and events delivered around our City 10 10

Mayor Frank Carbone and Councillors opened the synthetic pitch at Fairfield Showground with the Marconi Stallions

More than 7,000 people attended NYE Illuminate

Residents got crafting at Whitlam Library to help wildlife injured by bushfires

Free Australia Day events at our leisure centres kept our residents cool in January

Mayor Frank Carbone, Deputy Mayor Peter Grippaudo and Councillor Dai Le breaking ground at Villawood’s new family park

Mayor Frank Carbone and City Manager Alan Young with Juventus Academy Sydney players, managers and coaches at Fairfield Showground

Council donates $13,000 to PCYC Cabramatta toward the purchase of gym equipment for people with a disability

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FAIRFIELD CITY MUSEUM & GALLERY SOLASTALGIA: MAWA NGURRA 14 March – 27 June 2020 Exhibition Launch Saturday 14 March 2pm SOLASTALGIA: Mawa Ngurra is a response by Aboriginal artists to the reality of climate change and its impact on the Australian landscape, community and our connection to country. It acknowledges the unique spiritual connection of First Nations people to this land, and is a powerful and thought provoking insight into this globally relevant issue.

Visit www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/FCMG for more information about What’s On at the Fairfield City Museum & Gallery.

fairfieldcitymuseumgallery @fairfieldcitymuseumgallery Leanne Tobin, Untitled (detail), 2020. Image courtesy of the artist

ENTRIES OPEN APRIL For more information, visit www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/capturefairfield Artwork by Ann-Maree Ager

ENVIRONMENT WORKSHOPS AND TOURS Fairfield City Council holds a wide range of free workshops and tours for the community. To register for a free workshop visit www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/events. Registrations for each event are opened one month before the scheduled date.

BREAKFAST WITH THE BIRDS Irelands Bridge Reserve

SPOTLIGHTING Fairfield’s hidden nightlife

Saturday 21 March, 7.30am-11am

Friday 8 May, 7pm-9pm

Discover the natural biodiversity and enjoy a walk and talk highlighting our variety of birdlife.

PROPAGATION FOR KIDS WORKSHOP Saturday 28 March, 9am-12pm Children will learn how to propagate and grow local native plants using a variety of techniques.

Come for a night walk along one of Fairfield City’s creeks.

LIVING WITH LESS AND RETHINKING YOUR WARDROBE Saturday 16 May, 9am-12pm Learn how to declutter your home and wardrobe in a sustainable way.

Help save the environment one cup at a time!

The Green Caffeen reuseable cafe cup campaign has arrived in our City. This initiative is a FREE reusable coffee cup system aimed at cutting down the millions of single-use plastic coffee cups going into landfill.

To get on board simply download the Green Caffeen app at www.greencaffeen.com.au to see participating cafes; get your reuseable cup and drink your coffee; then drop the cup back to any participating café within 30 days.

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WHAT’S ON JOIN US AT

APRIL Saturday 4 April

Thursday 9 April

Bring It On! Festival Free music, sporting and arts festival for young people.

Cabramatta East Community Fun Day

Fairfield Showground Smithfield Road, Prairiewood 12pm – 7pm

Wednesday 8 April Mrs Bunny visits Find her roaming the streets handing out free Easter eggs.

Fairfield City Centre 11am – 2pm

FAIRFIELD

CITY CENTRE SATURDAY 30 MAY

11am - 4pm

Cabravale Leisure Centre Broomfield Street, Cabramatta 3pm – 6pm

9-13 April Fairfield Easter Fair Fairfield Showground Smithfield Road, Prairiewood Thursday 5pm – 10pm Friday to Sunday 10am – 10pm

MAY Sunday 3 May Free Open Day Fairfield Youth and Community Centre Vine Street, Fairfield 11am – 3pm

Fairfield Youth and Community Centre

Tuesday 5 May @fairfieldcity fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/culinarycarnival

Gyms in Parks 6 week exercise program using park equipment, starting on Tuesday 5 May. For location and times visit our Facebook page @FairfieldCity

Thursday 7 May Mother’s Day Prepare to be serenaded in the streets, plus mothers get a free fresh flower.

Fairfield City Centre 11am – 2pm

Mother’s Day in Fairfield City Centre

Sunday 31 May Volunteer/Carer Thank you Event Join us as we celebrate our community heroes.

Fairfield Showground Smithfield Road, Prairiewood For more information visit our website www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

YOUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES CABRAVALE WARD

Frank Carbone Mayor of Fairfield City Peter Grippaudo Deputy Mayor 0436 299 612

Dai Le 0410 899 787

dle@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

Kien Ly 0412 564 388

kly@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

Adrian Wong 0416 535 617

awong@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

pgrippaudo@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

fcarbone@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

9725 0203 @FC.FrankCarbone @FairfieldMayor

FAIRFIELD WARD CONTACT US Phone TTY TIS

Paul Azzo 0414 303 175

pazzo@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

Del Bennett 0409 665 101

dbennett@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

Anita Kazi 0428 639 642

akazi@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

Charbel Saliba 0417 708 582

csaliba@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

9725 0222 9725 1906 (Hearing Impaired) 131 450 (Interpreter Service)

Administration Centre 86 Avoca Road, Wakeley Monday to Friday 8.30am-4.30pm PO Box 21 Fairfield NSW 1860 mail@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

PARKS WARD

@FairfieldCity

Ninos Khoshaba 0447 112 210

Joe Molluso 0418 440 971

nkhoshaba@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au jmolluso@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

Andrew Rohan 0431 264 990

arohan@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

Sera Yilmaz

0436 434 141 syilmaz@fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au

Fairfield City Council acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land in which the Fairfield Local Government Area is situated - the Cabrogal of the Darug Nation.

SATURDAY 4 APRIL F REENET EV

FAIRFIELD SHOWGROUND

12pm 12 pm - 7pm 7pm DRUG AND ALCOHOL FREE EVENT

#BRINGITONFEST Featuring

fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/bringiton

RAINBOW RUN CONQUER OBSTACLES WITH FLYING COLOURS