Council News #449 - 10 June 2023

Wagga Wagga City Council

State recognition for Council’s Urban

Cooling strategy

WINTER FUN: The Laugh

Wagga Comedy Fest brings the laughs this weekend

Wagga Comedy Fest is once again bringing laughs, light, and happiness into the deepest, darkest depths of a Wagga Wagga winter. This weekend, the Civic Theatre precinct is comedy central with over 20 performances happening across three venues.

ENVIRONMENTAL

Janice Summerhayes and Strategic Sustainability Advisor Carly Hood, with the trophy for the Urban Cooling Strategy 2022-2052 Highly Commended Environmental Leadership award from the Local Government Professionals NSW Excellence Awards.

Wagga Wagga City Council has been recognised for its dedication to environmental sustainability, receiving a Highly Commended award in the Environmental Leadership category at the Local Government Professionals NSW Excellence Awards in Sydney.

The awards have a number of categories including environmental leadership, community development, asset and infrastructure, community and partnerships, special project initiatives and innovative leadership.

The awards celebrate outstanding achievements and promote innovation and continuous improvement within NSW local government.

There was a strong field of nominations in the Environmental Leadership category, including metropolitan councils such as Randwick City, Waverley, Inner West and Camden Council, along with several large regional councils among the finalists.

The overall the winner was Byron Shire Council for its Main and Clarkes Beach

Dune Recovery Project - Working with Mother Nature Director Community Janice Summerhayes said it was an honour to receive the Highly Commended Award for the Urban Cooling Strategy 20222052, which was adopted by Council in December 2022.

“This category celebrated the outstanding achievements by Councils across the state in planning for and protecting the environment,” Ms Summerhayes said.

“It is wonderful to receive this level of recognition for all the work put in by Council staff to develop this important strategy for the future health, wellbeing and resilience our local community to climate change, and the inherent risks associated with a warming environment.

“The judges commented on how they liked the collaborative work and innovation for considering our residents in developing the strategy for future-proofing this city as it grows.”

The Urban Cooling Strategy 2022-2052 is a 30-year plan to help cool the city through sustainable future developments and adapting public spaces.

It contains a wide range of actions that Council and the community can take to help reduce the impact of increasing temperatures and heat waves and will provide Council with information about priority neighbourhoods that have large populations who are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses and energy poverty.

“This will make a difference to the liveability of Wagga Wagga for not only our residents and visitors to the city now, but for my grandchildren and other people’s grandchildren as they become adults and parents themselves in this city in the future,” Ms Summerhayes said.

To find out more about the Urban Cooling Strategy 2022-2052, visit wagga.nsw.gov.au/communityplans

The long weekend comedy festival has become an event on the national comedy calendar, attracting some of the country’s most successful comedians to our city, whilst also offering opportunities for emerging local talent to gain skills and perform on stage.

The line-up for the festival is carefully programmed, with each show selected specifically to suit our local audiences, showcasing big names and lesserknown comedians who have been seeing success at other comedy festivals around the country.

Civic Theatre Manager, Isobel MacCallum said “I really encourage locals to get tickets to see one of the comedians they haven’t seen before.

“The amazing talents of comedians like David Quirk, Jude Perl and Otto & Astrid have been selling out shows at Melbourne Comedy Festival and taking their shows internationally. So, it really is amazing that that level of talent is part of our festival program.”

This weekend, the headliner shows like Tommy Little and Lano & Woodley have sold well, with Tommy Little’s show completely sold out.

The Laugh Lounge marquee is also open from 5pm with food and drink vendors and live music. This heated marquee is open to all, even if you don’t have a ticket to one of the shows.

Wagga Comedy Fest is taking place this weekend 8 - 11 June. Whilst some shows have sold out, tickets remain for most performances and will be available at the door.

Lounge marquee is open for food and drinks tonight, all welcome.

LEADERSHIP: Director Community

NSW Government Grants $1 Million for flood repairs and future preparedness

In a welcome development for the local community, Wagga Wagga City Council has received a grant of $1 million from the NSW Government to fund crucial repairs and improvements following this year’s flooding.

Unanimously accepted at Monday night’s Ordinary Meeting of Council, the grant falls under Category D of the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) and will address the recovery gaps left by previous assistance measures.

The allocated budget will be used for various infrastructure projects that were not covered under other Essential Public Asset criteria, providing muchneeded support to the affected areas.

Regarding the significance of the grant, Director Strategy and Projects

Phil McMurray stated,

"This funding is vital for the protection of the city, as it allows us to undertake essential repairs and improvements.

“These projects will not only address the damage caused by the recent flood but also strengthen our infrastructure to withstand future challenges.” Mr. McMurray said.

The funds will be allocated to several crucial projects, including repairs to the outlet wall of Floodgate 15A , located opposite the intersection of Tarcutta and Tompson Streets, the Wiradjuri Walking Track, a North Wagga Levee floodgate and pipes, and the Gregadoo Main street drainage line.

With the allocated funds Council will be able to move forward with the necessary assessments, designs, and construction work such as floodgate repairs, drain reconstruction, levee improvements, and other essential measures, Council aims to ensure the safety and protection of residents and businesses.

Director Strategy and Projects Phil McMurray concluded, "This grant reinforces the commitment of the NSW Government and Wagga Wagga City Council to the well-being and resilience of our community.

“We will continue to work to ensure the allocated funds are utilized effectively, enabling us to recover, rebuild, and fortify our city against future flood events."

World Environment Day – Local students launch reed bed at Marrambidya Wetland

To highlight World Environment Day, celebrated annually on 5 June, Wagga Wagga City Council worked with students and staff from Mount Austin High School on Monday to create and launch an artificial reed bed which will act as refuge for native wildlife at the Marrambidya Wetland.

A reed bed is a buoyant framework that is anchored in one of the larger ponds in which native aquatic plant seedlings are planted.

Once established, the plants will provide leaf matter above the bed to support native birds, and roots growing below into the water will become an important habitat for fish and other micro-aquatic critters.

Wagga Wagga City Council

Environmental Education Officer Christina Reid spoke of the benefits reed beds have in local ponds and lagoons to help support the environment.

“The native wildlife is under a lot of pressure from feral species, like foxes and cats, as well as unrestrained domestic animals. This kind of artificial island provides a place where those problems don’t exist and allows the birds to feel safe.

“It also helps to improve water quality as the plants act as a kind of water filter.

“However, while they are very young, the seedlings need to be protected from a range of birds that will eat them before they have time to mature, so they will be covered for the time being.” Ms Reid said.

The initiative coincided with World Environment Day which is celebrated annually on 5 June and encourages worldwide protection of the environment.

This year’s World Environment Day theme is #BeatPlasticPollution. With this theme in mind, the reed beds were constructed using upcycled security screen doors that were earmarked for landfill, rather than using bird netting which is a material consisting of plastic. This method repurposes discarded materials and provides an alternative to the use of plastic.

Christina Reid said “Once the plants are established, the covers will be removed to give the local wildlife full access to the bed as a refuge.

“Hopefully this will happen in time for the breeding season in Spring, making it a potential nesting site.

“When the screens are removed from the reed beds they will be then re-used for other reed bed launches in the future.”

The engagement of local high school students in the initiative was a way of encouraging young people to be aware of the effects humans have on the environment and educate how we can support the rehabilitation of certain areas with simple solutions.

“The group of Mount Austin High School students were really enthusiastic and were involved at every stage in the planting of the seedlings, construction of the covers and also part of the decisionmaking process of where to anchor the reed bed. Ms Reid said.

“Some didn’t even mind getting a little muddy during the process.”

Council environmental officers will monitor the reed bed over the coming months to track the progress of the seedlings and will remove the cover when the plants reach a certain size.

The reed bed can be seen on the fish pond at the Marrambidya Wetland, which is located at 100 Narrung Street, Wagga Wagga and is open to the public yearround. For more information visit wagga. nsw.gov.au/parks-and-recreation/ parks-beaches-lakes

Gorgeous gentle giant Goliath. Goliath is a 2-year-old, male Mastiff cross who is very sweet natured. He is full of positivity and absolutely adores having a friend to play with. The adoption fee for Goliath (Impound no. D23/0222) is $310.00 and includes microchipping, lifetime registration, vaccination, desexing, heartworm test, flea/ worming treatment and ID tag.

6971 4651 graswagga.com.au

Vacancies

Systems Administrator $3,162.46 gpf + super Closing: Sunday, 18 June 2023

R251000208

Insurance & Risk Management Officer $2,908.36 gpf + super

Closing: Monday, 19 June 2023

Corporate Planning & Performance Coordinator $3,494.78 gpf + super Closing: Wednesday, 21 June 2023

Net Zero Emissions Project Officer $3,001.30 gpf + super

Closing: Thursday, 22 June 2023

Ranger $2,318.42 gpf + super

Closing: Friday, 23 June 2023

Venue Coordinator $2,908.36 gpf + super

Closing: Monday, 26 June 2023

gpf = gross salary per fortnight

Wagga Wagga City Council is an EEO employer wagga.nsw.gov.au/ jobs

For more details and to apply, visit: Enquiries: 1300 292 442

Road closures

JOHNSTON ST (BETWEEN FITZMAURICE AND SIMMONS ST) AND TRAIL STREET/ IVAN JACK DR (BETWEEN GURWOOD AND MORROW ST) – NIGHT WORKS

Date: Thursday night 15 June to Monday morning 19 June (including weekends)

Duration: 6pm - 6am

Reason: Pavement rehabilitation (deep lift asphalt) works on roundabout

Detour: Road closures in place to through traffic between Gurwood and Morrow Sts, and between Simmons and Fitzmaurice Sts. The public and local residents will maintain access to the Woolworths carpark and their properties.

Public Notices

ALL NOTICES NOW ONLINE AT: wagga.nsw.gov.au/ publicnotices

1300 292 442 wagga.nsw.gov.au

FUNDED: Andrew Mason Project Manager and Silas Darby Associate Director - Projects