Our Place Penrith Winter 2021

PENRITH CITY COUNCIL COMMUNITY NEWS ISSUE 6

LET’S CELEBRATE

WINTER 2021

The 2021 Hawkesbury-Nepean Floods Thornton Community Gets Growing

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PENRITH CITY COUNCIL • COMMUNITY NEWS WINTER 2021 • 2

WORDS FROM OUR MAYOR The photograph on the cover is the oldest known photograph

Many of you will remember the centenary in 1971 – for

taken of Penrith. It was taken in 1852 from Lemongrove Hill and captures St Stephen’s Church, which still stands on High Street today. Nearly twenty years after this image was captured, in 1871, Penrith was first proclaimed a municipality. Council held its first meeting soon after, which makes 2021 our 150th anniversary.

some it may seem like it was yesterday. This year, we are marking the 150-year milestone with an event series including historical talks and a civic reception, a fascinating display of artefacts in Penrith City Library, flags decorating the City, a commemorative booklet and so much more.

We certainly deserve

Before the next issue of Our Place arrives in your letterbox, a

to celebrate, given the hardship our community has endured recently; the Hawkesbury-Nepean floods in March severely impacted many local residents.

Please turn to page 16 for information about flood assistance.

Council election will be held on Saturday 4 September 2021. It has been an honour to serve our City as Mayor again, and I look forward to seeing you at the polling booths – remember, voting in Council elections is compulsory.

Cr Karen McKeown OAM •3•

150 YEARS OF PENRITH CITY COUNCIL

4

THORNTON COMMUNITY

12

GETS GROWING

2021 HAWKESBURY-NEPEAN FLOODS

16

UPCOMING EVENTS

20

22

OUR CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS

28

OUR CITY STRATEGY

150 YEARS OF COUNCIL HAPPY ANNIVERSARY PENRITH

In 1871, Penrith was declared a municipality and a Council of local elected representatives formed; 2021 marks 150 years since this historic beginning.

As we look ahead to the next 150 years –

in which Penrith will become a global City in its own right, with world-class parks, well-connected employment hubs and a quality of life second to none – we acknowledge the achievements of our past and of the people whose shoulders we stand on.

The lands we call home have seen agricultural pastures for animals, a penal colony, a vast factory producing ammunition for farflung wars; these lands have been

sacred country for the Dharug people for thousands of years. Our City has been home to convicts, who were deported from England and incarcerated at Emu Plains, then made to work in iron-gangs to build the treacherous Zig Zag Road, now known as Old Bathurst Road.

Even female convicts were incarcerated at Emu Plains, and no doubt also worked to the bone.

Our location in this pivotal position on the Western Road ensured that Penrith City became instrumental in the history of NSW. It was the construction of the mighty Victoria Bridge (the fascinating history of which featured in the Winter 2020 edition of Our Place) that allowed for the gold fields west of the

PENRITH CITY COUNCIL • COMMUNITY NEWS WINTER 2021 • 4

The coming of the railway and Penrith station in the late 1860s were inextricably linked

with our district’s development.

As the area grew in economic importance, the desire for local government began to stir. It took many petitions from local landowners and residents expressing their desire for a voice in matters affecting them – along with many counter petitions arguing against it – until, on 12 May 1871, the district of Penrith

Council’s first Mayor, J.J. Riley

Great Dividing Range to open. As the gold rush unfolded, the amount of traffic into and through Penrith increased exponentially, with hoards of hopeful miners travelling west to try their luck, and many inns, hotels, shops and services springing up to cater to them.

•5•

was proclaimed a municipality, announced in the NSW Government Gazette the following day. The population of the Penrith township at that time was 836.

Only men could be elected to Council, and once elected they were called aldermen. The first Mayor was J.J. Riley, a prominent man who lived on a 2,000 acre property at Mulgoa where he bred fine sheep and thoroughbred horses, who served as a local magistrate for over 30 years.

Among the other eight aldermen were a local butcher, two publicans – one of whom built the Red Cow Inn – a storekeeper, an Irish farmer and a bootmaker. The local undertaker was appointed clerk.

AFTER RENTING P R E M I S E S , C O U N C I L B U I LT ITS FIRST CHAMBERS WHICH OPENED IN 1881

Students from Penrith Public school photographed in 1898 in front of the girls’ classroom

They set about building the framework of a local government, passing bylaws and introducing improvements to increase public safety, health and wellbeing. At the

time there were very few well-formed roads in our district, so installing kerbs and guttering was one of Council’s first tasks. They negotiated to receive half the funds from the toll over the

Victoria Bridge.

And more bridges, drains and culverts were put in place to deal with the drainage problems that plagued the district, which often led to life-or-death situations.

Council was an early champion of education in our district. When female students had their classroom moved into a tent outside Penrith Public School, local representatives fought for funding to build them a proper classroom. The tent was in a freezing hollow, and downstream from the sewage and effluent run-off coming from Penrith town and the local hospital – this stream was known as ‘Diphtheria Creek’. The Mayor and local member argued the case and accommodated the girls in Council Chambers until their classroom was built.

PENRITH CITY COUNCIL • COMMUNITY NEWS WINTER 2021 • 6

“Cleanliness combined with good drainage is one of the best preventatives,” as written by The Nepean Times in 1884.

Outbreaks of diseases like typhoid, diphtheria and scarlet fever were often deadly, particularly in the lower lying areas, and more so when residents would leave rubbish in holes and gutters.

Sanitary conditions would rapidly improve once Council enacted a series of bylaws to address these problems.

There is a long lineage of innovation in our City: in 1890, Penrith became the first town in the Sydney region to connect to electricity.

With much fanfare,

Penrith switched on street lights and made electricity available in private homes, only the third town in NSW to do so after Tamworth and Young.

A SECOND BRIDGE Victoria Bridge changed the fate of Penrith, but by the early 20th Century it was having some problems. Horses were getting spooked by the loud, rattling steam trains, and it was too narrow for one vehicle to pass another.

And so, a second bridge was built specifically for trains, and was tested with six of the heaviest locomotives, each weighing 107 tonnes. The Rail Bridge and Victoria Bridge were both incredible feats of engineering, and we still use both of them today.

•7•

In the early 1920s, when residents were still burying or burning their household rubbish in the backyards, Council introduced a regular garbage

collection service.

Waste was taken to a former garbage tip within Penrith Park, and used to build up low-lying grounds.

The inspiration for this came from

Sydney’s Centennial Park, which also used rubbish to build up lower areas. This new garbage removal service improved air quality and the health of residents.

Electricity was switched on in St Marys in December 1931, which was a hopeful move in the depths of the Great Depression; electricity was crucial for establishing St Marys as the industrial heartland it would become.

Mulgoa and Wallacia followed in 1937.

However, many residents needed some convincing to take the step and get electricity connected in their homes.

This advertisement, from Penrith Council’s Electricity Department, was printed in The Nepean Times in 1940.

Council’s donation of 15 pounds for the establishment of the club caused a stir at the time, leading one

protest, but Council argued that nothing could bring crowds to our River like rowing could.

alderman to quit in PENRITH CITY COUNCIL • COMMUNITY NEWS WINTER 2021 • 8

Margaret Trask (nee Kinsella), Penrith’s founding Librarian

COUNCIL HAS ALWAYS BEEN A STRONG SUPPORTER OF SPORTS IN OUR DISTRICT, CHAMPIONING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEPEAN ROWING CLUB IN 1928.

By 1957, it was clear that local children needed a safer place to learn how to swim than the River. Mayor Bernie Fowler led the efforts to provide this for the community, and in 1962, Penrith Memorial Swimming Pool was

PENRITH POOL PHOTOGRAPHED IN 1962

officially opened. In 1966, Council opened its second pool in St Marys, with an Olympic-sized pool and a learners’ pool.

After the Second World War ended, Penrith Council wanted to establish a free public library. Penrith Mayor Frank Allen visited Mosman Library and was impressed by the benefits and services it delivered to the community, especially to children. So, Council •9•

purchased books and shelving, and advertised the position of Librarian.

Margaret Trask (nee Kinsella), a local woman who had attained a degree in Librarianship before going on to work at the State Library of NSW, was appointed to the role.

Over time, Penrith and our neighbours joined together: in 1949, St Marys, Castlereagh and

by ‘kite-man’. The Nepean District Tennis Association set a new world record for endurance

part of the Nepean Shire amalgamated, joined in 1963 by Emu Plains and Emu Heights. As Penrith expanded, our sense of civic pride grew too – a perfect example of this was the centenary celebrations in 1971.

tennis, with a single game lasting for 50 hours. A picnic day at Penrith Showground featured amusement rides, novelty races and a parachute jumper; as the celebrations continued, crowds flocked to art exhibitions, concerts, a flower show, BBQs and fireworks displays. A banner commemorating 100 years was displayed on the front façade of the Council Chambers, which inspired the banner hanging above the entrance to the Civic Centre today.

The 100th anniversary of the municipality of Penrith was honoured with Citywide fanfare. To kick things off, Mayor Ron Mulock AO fired a pistol into the air. A ball was held, and an aquatic carnival on the Nepean River featured canoe races and a demonstration

We don’t have a photograph of Ivy Laurence, who made history in 1949 as the first woman to become an ‘alderman’ on Penrith Council. She had previously been elected to Castlereagh Council, which was amalgamated with Penrith. As Ivy told The Nepean Times, “I feel quite confident of holding my own with the twenty-three men in the Council.”

PENRITH CITY COUNCIL • COMMUNITY NEWS WINTER 2021 • 10

SNAPSHOT

»

From our humble

Innovation is still part of our DNA – Penrith was the first Council in metropolitan Sydney to

beginnings of 836, Council now represents over 200,000 residents For the first time in our history, two women currently lead the Council –Mayor Karen McKeown OAM and Deputy Mayor Tricia Hitchen

introduce the Food Organics & Garden Organics (FOGO) waste system Penrith is transforming into a worldclass City that will soon have a an international aerotropolis on its doorstep

OF PENRITH CITY COUNCIL T O D AY »

»

»

»

Council is delivering numerous Cityshaping projects, including City Park, Soper Place, the upgraded Regatta Park, and many more to enhance our lifestyle and increase access to employment hubs, transport and green spaces

C E L E B R AT E O U R H I S T O R Y AT The 150th anniversary is being celebrated with just as much joy and pride, but in unique circumstances as we continue to navigate a global pandemic. Penrith City Library will be displaying historical artefacts and hosting a series of talks, so if reading this local history has piqued your interest, register

PENRITH.CITY/150YEARS to attend an event and delve deeper into Penrith’s past. A Civic Reception will be held in July to honour the anniversary, among other achievements and local heroes.

Later in the year, a commemorative booklet will be released in a limited print run and will also be available digitally.

• 11 •

INTERESTED IN OUR HISTORY? JOIN THE CELEBRATIONS! TURN TO PAGE 24 TO SEE OUR 150TH ANNIVERSARY EVENTS

OUR

COMMUNITY GARDEN Three years ago, a group of residents of Thornton had an idea. Establishing a community garden would give locals – many of whom live in apartments – the opportunity to grow their own food. A shared project would also help to build a sense of community in this relatively new suburb and give neighbours a chance

to get to know one another. Taking home a bucket of fresh vegetables is fantastic, but the social connections of a community garden are just as beneficial.

The site they had in mind, which they negotiated to lease from Landcom, had all the features they were looking for – it was fenced and got

PENRITH CITY COUNCIL • COMMUNITY NEWS WINTER 2021 • 12

plenty of sunshine.

There was no water available, so the group paid for a water connection to be installed. They found many people were willing to help this community-focused start up: Council has awarded several grants and supplies woodchip when it’s needed. A local hardware store gave a discount on an irrigation system, and

a mushroom producer from Londonderry donated several loads of mushroom compost, which helped to establish the beds. There is a shed full of tools now, nearly all of which have been donated, many by local residents who were downsizing.

Six months after the group set out to make Thornton Community Garden a reality, they opened its gates.

• 13 •

THORNTON GETS GARDENING ONE COMMUNITY’S GREEN THUMB

Today there are close to 40 members, 25 of whom come on a weekly basis. None of the beds belong to one person – members share in the work and share in the produce.

That said, members often do gravitate towards one aspect of the garden – some particularly like worm farming, or have a special interest in composting, or enjoy harvesting the vegetables when they’re ready to be eaten.

The majority of members didn’t have much gardening experience to begin with, and it has been a steep learning curve. There have been a few curveballs – cabbage moths have taken a shine to the broccoli, snakes sometimes lurk in the compost, and pumpkins get gnawed on by bush rats – but on the whole, they’ve had amazing success growing very diverse crops.

The garden is a combination of long beds on the ground, where the soil has been turned with organic matter; and some raised beds, which provide easier access for people with disabilities or who are less mobile. The raised beds are mainly herbs, including basil, thyme and rosemary; while pumpkins, zucchini, broccoli, garlic and carrots are just some of the crops in the longer beds. There is also a tea garden, full of things you can make

PENRITH CITY COUNCIL • COMMUNITY NEWS WINTER 2021 • 14

hot drinks out of, such as pineapple sage, lemongrass and mint.

A climbing grape vine shades the pergola, under which members sit for a cuppa and a chat.

Friendships have been struck up between people that wouldn’t have otherwise met, despite living alongside each other. Some members have taken the opportunity to improve their English, and everyone has picked up new skills.

It’s not uncommon for visitors to wander in off the street, slightly astonished to see a productive garden flourishing between the railway line and a multi-storey apartment complex.

As the garden has matured, more local supporters have come out of the woodwork.

The building manager of the apartments across the street donates green waste for composting. One local, who owns a rabbit, brings down the straw when she cleans it out of the rabbit hutch. Local residents also bring down their kitchen scraps which help to keep the worms fed. The worm farm is constructed from recycled baths, and the worm wee is collected from the bath’s drain. This ingenious design for the worm farm came from staff at the Royal Botanic Gardens, who visited Thornton early on and shared some helpful advice.

Thornton Community Garden is truly a community effort, delivering benefits to everyone involved – improved wellbeing, waste reduction and positive environmental outcomes, a stronger sense of community – but perhaps above all, tasty homegrown food.

To contact Thornton Community Garden, email thorntoncommunitygroup@outlook.com

• 15 •

OUR

COMMUNITY IN CRISIS What initially seemed to be run-of-the-mill autumn rainfall in March quickly became an extreme weather event across New South Wales. Areas stretching from Sydney to the Northern Rivers were inundated with

rain and damaging winds. The flooding that resulted caused the destruction of property, led to tens of thousands of people being evacuated, and tragically took one young life.

PENRITH CITY COUNCIL • COMMUNITY NEWS WINTER 2021 • 16

H AW K E S B U R YNEPEAN FLOODS SUPPORT FOR RESIDENTS’ In the face of this disaster, our community has shown its trademark resilience. Under the instruction of the State Emergency Service (SES), Council staff were out on the ground during the emergency, placing signage on closed roads, preparing residents for evacuations and assisting with traffic control. Penrith Council also provided the SES with 46 tonnes of sand for sandbagging, while our Animal Services team helped Hawkesbury Council staff to evacuate the Companion Animal Shelter in Mulgrave.

The SES is the lead agency for flooding, supported by Council, volunteers from the NSW Rural Fire Service, other emergency services and a range of community organisations. Together, with the help of many local residents, we tackled the massive clean-up operation.

Blacktown, Blue Mountains, Camden and Liverpool Councils all offered support, which we greatly appreciated. Our hearts went out to our friends and neighbours in the Hawkesbury who also experienced major flooding.

RECOVERY Council is hoping to assist in easing the difficulties of recovery by waiving the Development Application (DA) fees on flood-affected properties. For homeowners who experienced damage to their land or the lower levels of their properties, associated costs will be waived.

Council will also fast-track these DA applications, ensuring residents who have experienced flood damage are responded to quickly.

Find out more about support for flood-affected residents, and other latest news at penrith.city/news

• 17 •

OUR

CITY’S NEW METRO STATIONS The Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport will connect Penrith City with metro stations at St Marys, Orchard Hills, Luddenham, and onto the airport business

park, terminals and the aerotropolis beyond.

The proposed metro station at St Marys would be located under the existing Sydney Trains rail station, and have two

entries, on Station Street and on Harris Street. It will provide easy access to and from the T1 Western Line, bus services and cycling links.

PENRITH CITY COUNCIL • COMMUNITY NEWS WINTER 2021 • 18

ST MARYS METRO S TAT I O N I S S E T TO OPEN WHEN PA S S E N G E R S E R V I C E S C O M M E N C E AT T H E Find out more at sydneymetro.info/westernsydneyairportline

COUNCIL ENVISIONS ST MARYS AS A BUSTLING AND WELL-CONNECTED HUB OF RESIDENTS AND WORKERS, GROUNDED IN ITS RICH HISTORY, THRIVING INDUSTRY AND DIVERSITY OF PEOPLE, EMBODYING OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH AND CHANGE

• 19 •

BELOW: An artist’s impression of St Marys Metro Station

AIRPORT

UPCOMING

Linda Brescia, from the series Skirts (2021). Produced and presented by C3West on behalf of the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in partnership with Penrith City Council. Courtesy and © the artist. Photo: Jessica Maurer.

EVENTS

LIST YOUR EVENT HERE Are you planning a community-focused event in Penrith City? Email the details – including time, date, location and a description of the event – to ourplace@penrith.city

SKIRTS SPRING STALLS SUNDAY SUNDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 10am-3pm Join us in Wainwright Park in Kingswood on the first Sunday in spring to connect, create and celebrate. Pick up artisan crafts from local creatives, enjoy free activities and grab a coffee. This event is part of Skirts, an art project produced

by Council in collaboration with the Museum of Contemporary Art. Skirts brings together Western Sydney-based artist Linda Brescia, and women from Kingswood and surrounds, who aspire for positive change for themselves, each other and their community.

PENRITH CITY COUNCIL • COMMUNITY NEWS WINTER 2021 • 20

GET INVOLVED WITH BUSHCARE Join Council’s Bushcare team and Conservation Volunteers Australia for habitat restoration of local threatened flora species and help to remove priority weeds such as Bridal Creeper, Asparagus Fern, Mother of Millions and African Love Grass.

These free events are proudly supported by the NSW Government through its Environmental Trust. Online registrations are essential.

MOUNTAIN VIEW RESERVE, CRANEBROOK SATURDAY 26 JUNE 8.00AM-11.30AM

GOW PARK, MULGOA SATURDAY 7 JULY 9.00AM-12.30PM

KANANGRA RESERVE, KINGSWOOD NED

TPO S O SUNDAY P 18 JULY 8.00AM-11.30AM

RICKABYS CREEK D RESERVE, LONDONDERRY NE

TPO S O FRIDAYP 23 JULY

9.00AM-12.30PM

PEPPERMINT RESERVE, KINGSWOOD SUNDAY 15 AUGUST 8.00AM-11.30AM

Find and register for upcoming events at penrith.city/events

• 21 •

OUR

CULTURAL TREASURES BIRD PETYARRE & MIDDLEBROOK AT PENRITH REGIONAL GALLERY UNTIL 22 AUGUST 2021 FREE ENTRY PENRITHREGIONALGALLERY .COM.AU Aboriginal painter and printmaker Ada Bird Petyarre (1930–2009) met Blue Mountains painter David Middlebrook by chance, and the two artists went on to collaborate for three years. Ada taught David the difference between ‘looking at, and being landscape’, and the two spent time together at Alice Springs and Mulga Bore Utopia.

PENRITH CITY COUNCIL • COMMUNITY NEWS WINTER 2021 • 22

DADS 30–31 JULY 2021 2PM AND 7.30PM THEJOAN.COM.AU A foot-tapping, rhythmic exploration of Dads and their (often secret) love of dance.

ART + MUSIC TALKS AT THE JOAN $15 ENTRY PER TALK THEJOAN.COM.AU WEDNESDAY MORNINGS, 11AM-12:30PM

BEEP 26–27 AUGUST 2021 10AM, 12PM AND 6PM

The next three talks in this series explore the stories of artists, composers and musicians who created world-renowned works.

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14 July D NE practising and playing The secrets toPlearning, O T OS piano P music

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11 August ED Australia’s first PostNSmith, Grace Cossington O P ST Impressionist PO painter

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15 September The Piano, the Composer and the Performer

THEJOAN.COM.AU An interactive, charming tale of unexpected friendship, suitable for kids aged 2–7 and their families, and preschool to year 2 school groups.

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AN EVENING WITH CRAIG WERNER AND BETH MOORE OF THE NEPEAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND NORMA THORBURN FROM ST MARYS & DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY WEDNESDAY 30 JUNE 5.30PM–7PM PENRITH CITY LIBRARY A free event with limited tickets Registrations are essential

AN ORAL HISTORY OF COUNCIL WITH LORRAINE STACKER AND JIM MASON WEDNESDAY 28 JULY

150TH ANNIVERSARY COMMUNITY CELEBRATION FRIDAY 16 JULY 6PM–10PM TRIANGLE PARK, HIGH STREET PENRITH This family-friendly event will celebrate our City’s heritage and culture, both past and present, with live music, food and beverages, and immersive historical experiences

S AV E T H E D AT E REAL FESTIVAL IS BACK IN 2021!

5.30PM–7PM PENRITH CITY LIBRARY

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, 10–11 SEPTEMBER 2021

A free event with limited tickets Registrations are essential

Tench Reserve A free, interactive festival of fun and discovery at the Nepean River

Find out more and register for these events at penrith.city/OurPlace PENRITH CITY COUNCIL • COMMUNITY NEWS WINTER 2021 • 24

SAVE THE DATE COUNCIL ELECTION Saturday 4 September 2021 Council Elections in September Voting is compulsory for residents Make a note and don’t forget to vote

penrith.city/Council-Election • 25 •

OUR

CHILDREN’S SERVICES Penrith City Council Children’s Services offer a variety of free parenting programs to families enrolled in our services, as well as extra-curricular programs through our Children and Parent Support Services Program (CAPSS) and the Middle Years Mentoring Program (MYMP).

One example is Tuning in to Kids, an evidencebased, emotion-focused parenting program developed in Australia in 1999. It’s a fresh way of supporting families to develop and enhance positive emotional connections with children.

The program aims to teach parents and carers skills in recognising, understanding and managing their children’s and their own emotions. It helps to build emotional intelligence in children, leading to better lifelong outcomes.

Tuning in to Kids is currently running every term at various locations.

It takes place at a variety of times convenient for parents and carers, with childcare available at faceto-face groups.

PENRITH CITY COUNCIL • COMMUNITY NEWS WINTER 2021 • 26

The Parent-Child Mother Goose program is an evidence-based program that strengthens attachment and interaction between parents or carers and their young children by introducing them to the power of using rhymes, songs and stories together.

Details on how to book into this program will be provided on the Children’s Services Facebook page very soon.

FA C E B O O K . C O M / PENRITH.CHILDRENS.SERVICES

Council’s Children’s Services currently has vacancies across all our services. Contact us to discuss your long day, preschool and out of school hours education and care requirements.

Call us today on 4732 7844 Or find out more at penrith.city/childcare

• 27 •

CITY STRATEGY Penrith is located in one of the fastestgrowing regions in Australia, and with this growth comes opportunities to create and renew great places across our City.

Council is developing a new City Strategy to provide direction on our future growth and to create better places for our community to connect, play, learn, work and live.

An artist’s impression of Surveyor’s Creek from the Penrith Green Grid Strategy

OUR BEFORE

AFTER

There are several strategies within this framework – centres, housing, employment, green grid and rural lands and villages.

All will be released as part of a consolidated exhibition at the end of 2021.

Council is currently seeking feedback on its Draft Employment Lands Strategy and Draft Penrith Green Grid Strategy.

BEFORE

AFTER PENRITH CITY COUNCIL • COMMUNITY NEWS WINTER 2021 • 28

DRAFT EMPLOYMENT LANDS STRATEGY The Employment Lands Strategy addresses our community’s priorities to grow our local economy, attract investment to our City and ensure there are more places to work, closer to home.

‘Employment land’ is a term used to describe land that has been set aside for business and employment growth.

Having the right type and amount of employment land is vital for planning healthy, growing economies.

A ‘green grid’ is a network of interlinked, public open and green spaces which are connected by walkways and cycle paths to the places where people live, learn, work and shop. Open and green spaces can include parks, reserves, waterways, and bushland. Green grids encourage active transport and healthy lifestyles, support the environment and help keep cities cool.

DRAFT PENRITH GREEN GRID STRATEGY The Penrith Green Grid Strategy puts forward a plan to support the creation of cool and green neighbourhoods and active transport by connecting schools, public transport and town centres to green infrastructure such as vibrant green spaces, parks, water ways and bushland.Funding to develop the Penrith Green Grid Strategy was provided by the NSW Government’s Metropolitan Greenspace Program to improve access to open space and increase liveability in Penrith.

LEFT: An artist’s impression of Mamre Road from the Penrith Green Grid Strategy

The Draft Employment Lands Strategy and the Draft Penrith Green Grid Strategy are on public exhibition for eight weeks and the community is invited to provide feedback by Tuesday 3 August.

A number of face-to-face sessions will be held for residents who wish to provide feedback in person.

Find out more at yoursaypenrith.com.au/city-strategy

• 29 •

HOW CAN I UPCYCLE THIS?

Or place in the recycling bin

COUNCIL CAN HELP WITH

» » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » »

Abandoned vehicles Air pollution monitoring Animal Services Approvals Asbestos Building applications or inspections Bus shelters Bushfire control Children’s Services Citizenship Ceremonies Clean-up bookings Compost bins Council car parks Council meetings Disability services Environmental health Environmental planning Food handling Footpaths

» » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » » »

Garbage & waste Graffiti control Hall bookings Library services Local elections Local history Neighbourhood centres Noise complaints Park bookings Parking control Planning approvals Public buildings Rates Recycling Report illegal dumping Senior Citizen centres Swimming pool fences Tourism Tree planting or removal Youth services

ONLINE SERVICES Manage bins, report potholes and book bulky waste collections online MY.PENRITH.CITY

PENRITH CITY COUNCIL • COMMUNITY NEWS WINTER 2021 • 30

SOUTH WARD

EAST WARD

COUNCILLOR KAREN MCKEOWN OAM

COUNCILLOR TRICIA HITCHEN

E karen.mckeown@penrith.city P 0401 995 945

E tricia.hitchen@penrith.city P 0417 365 313

COUNCILLOR BRIAN CARTWRIGHT

COUNCILLOR ROBIN COOK

E brian.cartwright@penrith.city P 0448 084 568

E robin.cook@penrith.city P 0428 056 619

COUNCILLOR MARK DAVIES

COUNCILLOR GREG DAVIES

E mark.davies@penrith.city P 0416 085 597

E greg.davies@penrith.city P 0419 177 259

COUNCILLOR JIM AITKEN OAM

COUNCILLOR TODD CARNEY

E jim@jimaitken.com.au P 0418 288 488

E todd.carney@penrith.city P 0417 762 219

COUNCILLOR KATH PRESDEE

COUNCILLOR BERNARD BRATUSA

E kath.presdee@penrith.city P 0417 396 841

E bernard.bratusa@penrith.city P 0420 581 225

COUNCILLOR AND IMPORTANT COUNCIL CONTACTS

NORTH WARD

OUR MAYOR

OUR DEPUTY MAYOR

COUNCILLOR ROSS FOWLER OAM

PENRITH CIVIC CENTRE

E ross@rossfowler.com.au P 0419 738 484

601 High Street, Penrith Opening hours at penrith.city

COUNCILLOR MARCUS CORNISH

ST MARYS CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTRE

E marcus.cornish@penrith.city P 0481 033 419

207-209 Queen Street, St Marys Opening hours at penrith.city

COUNCILLOR KEVIN CRAMERI OAM

council@penrith.city

E kevin.crameri@penrith.city P 0401 995 825

penrith.city

COUNCILLOR JOHN THAIN

4732 7777

penrith.city.council

E john.thain@penrith.city

penrithcouncil

P 0411 427 812

penrith-city-council

COUNCILLOR AARON DUKE

Interpreting assistance is available at Council or by phone.

E aaron.duke@penrith.city P 0404 085 981 • 31 •

PLACE IN THE WORLD: WHERE A GLOBAL CITY MEETS R U G G E D M O U N TA I N S AT A MIGHTY RIVER

High Street Penrith, captured by Charles Kerry at Morris House (corner of High and Lawson Streets), circa 1906

PENRITH HOLDS A UNIQUE